Advertisement

Floodgates open? Greg Hardy considering appeal after Tom Brady ruling

Frank Schwab
·NFL writer

Every NFL player should be as happy as Tom Brady today.

For years the players have complained about the NFL's discipline process, and specifically how commissioner Roger Goodell is all-powerful in the process (though, one has to wonder why they weren't so loud about the issue during CBA negotiations in 2011).

[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league todayl]

In vacating Brady's suspension, Judge Richard M. Berman saw through the NFL trampling on the rights of its players. The ruling mocked the supposed independence of Ted Wells' report. The second page of the ruling calls it the "Pash/Wells investigation." Jeff Pash is the NFL's general counsel. The NFL wanted its case to be heard in New York, did what amounted to an end-around to get the case in New York, and still lost. That's how badly the league flubbed this whole ordeal. Even in what it sought out as a friendly venue, the NFL couldn't win.

Now the players might have a blueprint to fight back. Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy is reportedly considering it.

Hardy has a four-game suspension for a domestic violence incident in 2014, and ESPN's Ed Werder reported that Hardy will discuss with the union if he will appeal that suspension on the heels of the Brady decision.

[Yahoo Daily Fantasy Football: Enter our $1 Million Week 1 contest]

Losing in a case like Brady (again, it's not the first time Goodell and the NFL have lost when pushed back by the players) might be a rough precedent for the NFL. Goodell has built his tenure as commissioner around his discipline process, but it's obviously flawed. Berman saw that, and the players should feel empowered a bit now.

The NFLPA expressed that in its statement after the Brady decision, which seemed like a victory lap:

The rights of Tom Brady and of all NFL players under the collective bargaining agreement were affirmed today by a Federal Judge in a court of the NFL’s choosing. We thank Judge Berman for his time, careful consideration of the issue and fair and just result.

This decision should prove, once and for all, that our Collective Bargaining Agreement does not grant this Commissioner the authority to be unfair, arbitrary and misleading. While the CBA grants the person who occupies the position of Commissioner the ability to judiciously and fairly exercise the designated power of that position, the union did not agree to attempts to unfairly, illegally exercise that power, contrary to what the NFL has repeatedly and wrongfully claimed.

We are happy for the victory of the rule of law for our players and our fans. This court’s decision to overturn the NFL Commissioner again should signal to every NFL owner that collective bargaining is better than legal losses. Collective bargaining is a much better process that will lead to far better results.

The NFL has already announced it will appeal the ruling. Regardless, whatever happens with Hardy and other discipline matters going forward, Thursday was a big day for NFL players.

- - - - - - -

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!