NFL commissioner Roger Goodell pleased by Tom Brady decision
Tuesday 26 April 2016 16:40, UK
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he is pleased with the appeal court's ruling to reinstate Tom Brady's four-match suspension for his role in under-inflating match balls.
The decision comes after the original ban was quashed by a federal judge in September.
"We're obviously pleased with the court's decision, and we hope that we can move on from here." Goodell said on Bloomberg TV.
"We think that was the right decision. They were very firm in their decision that it was within our authority and the judgements were based on solid facts."
Brady, as well as the New England Patriots, were found guilty of supplying under-inflated balls during their 45-7 AFC Championship win over the Indianapolis Colts in January 2015.
On May 11, 2015, Brady was suspended for four games, and the Patriots were fined $1m as well as losing two draft picks. Brady appealed and in September the ban was overturned by a New York judge.
Goodell reaffirmed his belief in the role a commissioner should play when deciding punishments.
He said: "We think it's important that the commissioner protect the integrity of the game, that you can't entrust that to someone who has no understanding of our business.
"We obviously have changed our discipline process through the years and we will continue to do that if we think it's in the best interests of the NFL."
The result of the latest appeal means that Brady will miss the first four games of the 2016 season, including two divisional matches against the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots currently only have one other quarterback on the roster, Jimmy Garoppolo, and are likely to take one in the draft.
