With Patriots QB Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension being reinstated today, ESPN’s Andrew Brandt said of the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, "This comes as no surprise, because two of the three judges were very intense with (NFLPA lawyer Jeffrey Kessler) representing Brady and the NFLPA. The tea leaves said they would rule for the NFL. As pro-Brady as (U.S. District Judge Richard Berman) was at the lower court, these guys were pro-NFL and it came out that way. It’s really a stake on commissioner power. They basically have said commissioner power is strong."
ESPN's Roger Cossack said of Brady’s recourse to appeal to the Supreme Court, "The United States Supreme Court takes very few of the cases that the people request them to take, and there is really no reason for the Supreme Court to take this case. ... There is very little if any chance that the Supreme Court would take this case. I think this is basically over" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 4/25).
ESPN's Skip Bayless tweeted, "While it would be extremely expensive and time consuming, I'd love to see Tom Brady fight this all the way to the Supreme Court." N.Y. Post's Bart Hubbuch: "Lesson for the NFLPA: If you don't want Roger Goodell to have something, don't give it to him in labor negotiations." The MMQB's Albert Breer: "Anyone paying attention knows this is way past being about that night in January 2015. This is a question of control over workforce." SI's Michael McCann: "A major setback for Tom Brady's case, but not necessarily a permanent one."
