By Keith Allison (originally posted to Flickr as 836) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia CommonsDeflategate might become synonymous with fighting for the “fundamental rights of American workers,” according to an ESPN article stating that Ted Olson, who leads Tom Brady’s legal team, is filing for an en banc rehearing of his four-game suspension. That means that all the judges of the 2nd Circuit Court are requested to rehear the case together. Whether or not it will happen remains to be seen, but Lester Munson, Legal Analyst writing for ESPN, speculates that Brady and his bunch of lawyers and scholars have a bigger goal in mind—the Supreme Court.
Deflategate in the Supreme Court
Why the speculation that Brady might be trying to stand before the highest court in the United States? One reason may be that Olson has garnered several amicus briefs—think of them like letters from a friend in one’s defense. According to Munson, this is common in the Supreme Court but not in lower courts. The argument, according to Olson, is not really about the suspension anymore. Focus has shifted to labor arbitration, and this is another reason Munson speculates that this case is headed for the Supreme Court.
2016 NFL and Tom Brady
Perhaps the 2nd Circuit Court will rehear the case. Perhaps enough of them (four of eight) will decide to rule in Brady’s favor. If this happens, Brady might get to play for the entirety of the 2016 NFL season. Olson is arguing that Goodell made some errors, which include destroying Brady’s cell phone in the course of the Deflategate investigation.
If the 2nd Circuit Court elects not to rehear the case, or if they rehear it and do not overturn the previous ruling, we might in fact see Tom Brady marching his team of lawyers, scholars, professors, and engineers up the steps of the Supreme Court.
Regardless of where this case is finally decided, Patriots fans and fans of the NFL in general can count on one thing: great discounts on NFL tickets from buyTickets.com. All you have to do is use the promo code “FOOTBALL” to save. Tickets are on sale now for the upcoming 2016 NFL season.
By Jeffrey Beall (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia CommonsVon Miller and the Denver Broncos are currently embroiled in contract discussions that seem to be at a standstill. The Super Bowl MVP is not practicing with the team this week. If the contract negotiations continue to stall, he may not attend the Broncos’ summer minicamp or training camp.
The two sides are far apart. Yahoo! Sports reported that two sources have said Denver is offering around $18 million per season, or around $90 million over five seasons, and Miller is seeking around $22 million per season, or $110 million for five years.
The Broncos have taken a tough stance in contract negotiations with other players, including the following:
• Derek Wolfe
• Malik Jackson
• Brock Osweiler
• Danny Trevathan
• Ryan Clady
• Russell Okung
• Colin Kaepernick.
The team did not extend the contracts of Osweiler, Jackson, and Trevathan for various reasons.
General Manager John Elway and Director of Football Administration Mike Sullivan have been trying to limit the amount the team pays for players. Elway considers Miller a vital member of the team. Sullivan has been figuring out “salary slots” where each player falls. He also did that for free agent negotiations with other players. Sullivan has been leading the negotiations with Miller.
The Broncos are not considering Miller’s open market value because he currently has a franchise tag that they are using to keep him for this season and possibly the next. The Broncos used an exclusive rights tag for Miller that only allows him to negotiate with that team.
The Broncos estimate that they could keep Miller for two seasons for $32 million. That means the $18 million per season the Broncos have offered Miller is more than they would otherwise have paid. The offer would also make Miller the second-highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
Unlike other players on the Broncos who recently negotiated their contracts, Miller has a successful and proven track record. Miller argues that he is the most versatile pass rusher in the NFL and possibly the most important member of the defense that won the Super Bowl. In five seasons, Miller has had 60 sacks (71 according to Pro Football Focus), four Pro Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP, and defensive rookie of the year.
Since he played his first five years under the new labor agreement, Miller earned less than $6 million per year. He was suspended in 2013 for using drugs but was released in 2015 after passing every test for two years. He recovered from a 2013 ACL injury and had two strong seasons.
Derek Wolfe, a defensive end, signed a four-year, $36.7 million contract with the Broncos less than two months before becoming a free agent. He could have earned much more in free agency. Some people believe that encouraged Denver to seek discounts for all of its players.
If you would like to see the Broncos or another NFL team play this summer, you can reserve tickets now for preseason games from buyTickets.com. You can also view schedules for regular season games and order tickets in advance.
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