U.S. District Judge Richard Berman this morning said that if no settlement is reached between the NFL and Tom Brady, the two sides "will meet again" on Aug. 31, and the appearance of Brady and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be "required," according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. Berman again "encouraged the NFL and players union to reach a settlement," while he will "continue to work on the legal aspect of the case." He said that it is his "intention to meet the deadline of Sept. 4 that the NFL and NFLPA requested for legal resolution." However, he added it is a "quick turnaround" and the parties "can't hold me to it" (CSNNE.com, 8/19). Berman said, "A settlement seems like a logical and rational option" (AP, 8/19). ESPN's Adam Schefter cites a source as saying that Brady and Goodell both met yesterday with U.S. Magistrate Judge James Francis, but those "settlement talks went 'nowhere.'" Sources said that Brady "is open to accepting some form of suspension but only if it's for failing to cooperate with the NFL rather than admitting to the Wells report findings" (ESPN.com, 8/19).
