Patriots’ Tom Brady appeals four-game suspension for Deflategate scandal

Tom Brady has officially filed his appeal of his four-game suspension for his alleged involvement in the New England Patriots’ Deflategate scandal.

Brady’s appeal, filed by the NFL Players’ Assn., will be heard by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or a person he assigns within the next 10 days, according to the league’s collective bargaining agreement. The union has asked for a neutral arbitrator to hear the case, according to the Associated Press.

Brady was suspended Monday, days after independent investigator Ted Wells released his report stating that the Patriots signal-caller was “at least generally aware” of the efforts by two Patriots staffers to prepare footballs to his liking in violation of NFL rules.

Footballs are required to be inflated to between 12.5 and 15.5 pounds of air pressure per square inch.

Brady himself hasn’t said much about the Wells report, but in an interview with reporter Jim Gray at Salem State University last week he said, “There’s still a process that’s going forth right now. I’m involved in that process. Whenever it happens, it happens.”

The Patriots, with attorney Daniel Goldberg, released a response to the Wells report Thursday stating that “there is no evidence that Tom Brady preferred footballs that were lower than 12.5 psi and no evidence anyone even thought that he did.”

The two Patriots staffers named in the Wells report, Jim McNally and John Jastremski, have been suspended indefinitely.

New England was stripped of its first-round pick in the 2016 draft and a fourth-rounder in 2017 in addition to receiving a $1-million fine from the NFL. The Patriots have not announced whether they will appeal their punishment.

Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme