A report last week indicated that the NFL Players Association made a settlement offer to the NFL regarding Tom Brady‘s suspension, and the league met that offer with “silence.” However, over the past several days, the NFL has been more open to the idea of a possible settlement for Brady, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, who reports that the league and the union have had an “open line of communication.”
Veteran Patriots players will report to training camp on Thursday, so the clock is ticking for resolution on Brady’s appeal. A source tells Garafolo that the Super Bowl MVP is frustrated with the lack of a decision from Goodell, nearly five weeks after the appeal hearing took place.
While a ruling from Goodell could come soon, a settlement would likely be the preferred outcome for both sides, since it would avoid prolonging the saga into the regular season with a court battle. However, it still appears unlikely that the two sides will reach a resolution that satisfies all parties — Brady figures to fight any penalty that includes him missing games, while the commissioner is reportedly receiving pressure from some owners to uphold the four-game suspension.