Brady seeks redemption after latest 'deflate-gate' ruling

American football champions the New England Patriots will hold their first official practice of the new season on Saturday. The session comes a day after star quarterback Tom Brady issued an apology for the furore surrounding the ‘deflate-gate’ scandal that tarnished their 28-24 Superbowl win over the Seattle Seahawks in February.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been cleared to play in his team's opening game of the new season. Reuters/Brendan McDermid

The National Football League (NFL) had banned Brady for allegedly colluding to deflate balls below the league minimum during their American Conference championship victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Deflated balls are considered easier to throw and catch.

But on Friday, judge Richard Berman upheld Brady’s appeal against a four-match suspension ruling that Brady’s ban had legal deficiencies.

"I don't think it has been good for our sport; to a large degree, we have all lost," said 38-year-old Brady.

He can now play in the Patriots’ opening game on 10 September against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In a post on social media Brady added: "While I am pleased to be eligible to play, I am sorry our league had to endure this. I can't wait to fully commit my energy and emotion to focus on the challenges of the 2015 NFL season.

"I want to thank my family, my friends, all of the fans, past and current players and my teammates for the support they have given me throughout this challenging experience."

The NFL fined the Patriots 900,000 euros and stripped the team of two chances to recruit some of the best young players emerging from the American universities following its 243-page report into 'deflate-gate'. The report found that Brady was "generally aware" of the scheme.

Immediately after Berman’s ruling, Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, said that the league would lodge an appeal against the judge's decision.

But while more legal battles are underway, the commissioner’s role could also be reassessed. Concern has been raised over the way Goodell handled the investigation into allegedly underinflated footballs and the manner in which Brady's appeal of the punishment was conducted.

The players' union wants a neutral arbitrator, rather than the commissioner to oversee appeals of player discipline. Owners of football teams might welcome such an option after punishments handed out to players have been reversed by independent arbitrators or courts.

Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "It's not healthy for the NFL to be in the kind of litigious position that it's been in for the last several years.

"I think that the commissioner is working hard to hold up the respect and integrity of the game and the competitive balance of the game.

"This ‘deflate-gate’ thing isn't about ‘deflate-gate’ any longer. It's about what has been collectively negotiated for decades in terms of the commissioner's responsibility in terms of disciplining players," Blank said.

He added: “If we have to look at that differently in today's environment, as an ownership group we should be prepared to do that. The commissioner should also be prepared to do that."