Tom Brady, Roger Goodell to Appear in NYC Court for Deflategate Lawsuit Hearing

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots are both expected to attend a mandated settlement hearing in New York City next week as the Deflategate case begins to make its way through the court system. 

Dan Graziano of ESPN reported U.S. District Judge Richard Berman ordered both Goodell and Brady to show up for the Aug. 12 hearing. Ed Werder of ESPN confirmed the commissioner would attend, and George Atallah of the NFL Players Association did the same for Brady, downplaying any speculation otherwise.

Berman has been pushing the NFL and NFLPA to work together to reach an agreement quickly rather than waiting on the courts to make a final call, per Jonathan Stempel and Steve Ginsburg of Reuters. He's also trying to calm the obvious tension between the sides.

"While this litigation is ongoing, it is appropriate (and helpful) for all counsel and all parties to this case to tone down their rhetoric," Berman wrote. "The earth is already sufficiently scorched."

The report noted that the NFLPA preferred the litigation be heard in Minnesota. It's had success against the league there with U.S. District Judge David Doty, but the efforts were denied, thus keeping it in New York City.

Progress toward a settlement remains uncertain. Brady released a statement on his Facebook page last week, noting he made an unspecified offer to the league before the announcement was made to uphold his four-game suspension.

"I authorized the NFLPA to make a settlement offer to the NFL so that we could avoid going to court and put this inconsequential issue behind us as we move forward into this season," Brady wrote. "The discipline was upheld without any counter offer."

Following the appeal, ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson stated that Brady's effort to overturn the suspension is "doomed." That said, it's the NFLPA's last avenue to fight the punishment, and the process is clearly moving forward.

Both sides are in agreement that they want a final answer before Sept. 4, which would make Brady available for Week 1 if the suspension is lifted. Otherwise, he won't be eligible to return until Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts due to the team's early bye week.