Billboards across Massachusetts are showing support for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brad...

https://rich-content.thescore.com/authors/caitlyn-holroyd/content_cards

Caitlyn Holroyd

Social News Editor

<p>Billboards across Massachusetts are showing support for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/3" href="http://www.thescore.com/nfl/teams/3">New England Patriots</a> quarterback <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/1333" href="http://www.thescore.com/nfl/players/1333">Tom Brady</a> following Thursday's decision by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman to nullify his four-game suspension.</p><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">After judge's decision to vacate TB​’s suspension, this was posted on 30 digital billboards in MA! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeBrady?src=hash">#FreeBrady</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OOH?src=hash">#OOH</a> <a href="http://t.co/8DHdySFXnw">pic.twitter.com/8DHdySFXnw</a></p>— CCO_Boston (@MassBillboards) <a href="https://twitter.com/MassBillboards/status/639459115887038464">September 3, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>A Dunkin' Donuts in Maine is also offering Berman free coffee for life as a thank-you for getting Brady back in time for the start of the season:</p><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Classic! <a href="http://t.co/s7qjNUoVZI">pic.twitter.com/s7qjNUoVZI</a></p>— Chantel McCabe (@NHLChantel) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLChantel/status/639468695857852416">September 3, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>- With h/t to <a href="http://www.si.com">Sports Illustrated</a></p>

NFL Football

New England Patriots

Tom Brady

The "Deflategate" ruling is out and Tom Brady is victorious again.  U.S. District Judge Richard B...

https://rich-content.thescore.com/authors/blake-murphy/content_cards

Blake Murphy

News Editor

<p>The "Deflategate" ruling is out and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/1333" href="http://www.thescore.com/nfl/players/1333">Tom Brady</a> is victorious again.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Richard Berman <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822135" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822135">nullified the NFL's four-game suspension </a>levied against the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/3" href="http://www.thescore.com/nfl/teams/3">New England Patriots</a> superstar on Thursday. In his <a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/experiments/usatoday/Sports/2015-09-03-nfl-brady-decision.pdf">40-page ruling</a>, Berman said <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/639446911917752320">he found no NFL policy or precedent</a> that notifies players they could be disciplined for having general awareness of the activity of others.</p><p>Here's everything you need to know about "Deflategate," Berman's ruling, and the potential impact reverberating throughout the league.</p><h3>The Ruling</h3><ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822135" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822135">Judge nullifies Brady's 4-game suspension in "Deflategate" case</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822225" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822225">The NFL will appeal the ruling</a></li>
</ul><h3>The Fallout</h3><ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822146" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822146">The football world reacts to Brady's suspension being overruled</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822191" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822191">The NFLPA releases a statement on their victory</a></li>
<li>Patriots <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822198" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822198">re-open as 7-point favorites in Week 1</a>
</li>
<li>Report: <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822212" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822212">Greg Hardy considering appealing 4-game suspension following Brady ruling</a>
</li>
<li>Patriots' owner Robert Kraft says Brady "<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822264" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822264">represents everything that is great about this game</a>"</li>
<li>A "VINDICATED" billboard has <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/822293" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/822293">popped up in Massachusetts</a>
</li>
</ul><h3>Background</h3><ul>
<li>Despite all the drama this offseason, Brady was <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/821623" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/821623">still able to joke around</a> about "Deflategate"</li>
<li>The NFL had the opportunity to settle but the league and NFLPA <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/819956" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/819956">couldn't come to an agreement</a>
</li>
<li>An independent study found the NFL-commissioned Wells Report to be "<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/780066" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/780066">deeply flawed</a>"</li>
<li>One of the deflated balls in question <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/796283" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/796283">sold for $43,740 at auction</a>
</li>
<li>The Patriots "reluctantly" <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/766891" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/766891">accepted their $1-million fine</a> and the deduction of two draft picks</li>
<li>Here's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/763082" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/763082">everything you need to know about the original suspension</a> and appeal process</li>
</ul><h3>Further Reading</h3><ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/09/03/deflategate-tom-brady-suspension-overturned-roger-goodell-nfl-nflpa">Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann</a> explains how and why Brady and the NFLPA were victorious</li>
<li>Prior to the ruling, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/how-roger-goodell-became-the-most-powerful-man-in-american-sports/2015/09/02/3eb69baa-50d8-11e5-9812-92d5948a40f8_story.html">Kent Babb of The Washington Post</a> looked at how Goodell became "the most powerful man in American sports"</li>
<li>
<a href="http://grantland.com/the-triangle/brady-freed-shield-dented-the-nfl-gets-a-judicial-smackdown/?ex_cid=story-twitter">Charles P. Pierce of Grantland</a> looks at how the NFL received a "judicial smackdown"</li>
</ul>

PHOTO: 'Vindicated!' billboards pop up in Massachusetts following Brady ruling

HEADLINES

Daily Newsletter

MORE STORIES

Daily Newsletter