After eight months of accusations, investigations, findings, destroyed cell phones and settlement talks, Judge Richard Berman ruled on Thursday to throw out the NFL's four-game suspension for allegedly having knowledge that Patriots staff deflated footballs ahead of last year's AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.
That means Brady is free to play for Super Bowl champs New England in next Friday's (AEDT) season opener against the Steelers.
Brady was seeking full exoneration from the league, but was reportedly willing to accept a one-game ban for not cooperating with the Ted Wells Report that ruled Brady to be 'generally aware' of the deflation of footballs he used during the 45-7 victory over the Colts.
However, Brady and the NFL never met in the middle as the league and commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly demanded Brady admit he had a role in the actual deflation of footballs.
While Brady, 38, defended his entire innocence, the NFLPA argued that even if he was proven guilty, a four-game suspension was excessive and unprecedented. Berman ultimately came down on their side.
Here's the line from Berman vacating the Tom Brady's #DeflateGate suspension. pic.twitter.com/EZpyPMEyRx
— Stephen Brown (@PPVSRB) September 3, 2015 Following the release of Wells' investigation, the Patriots suspended Jim McNally, a part-time employee of 32 years, and John Jastremski, the equipment assistant responsible for the preparation of game balls. The team insists they acted on their own, and other factors such as climate could have affected the footballs.
New England also had its first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft taken away, along with a $1 million fine.
The NFL is expected to appeal the decision.