After being suspended by the N.F.L. for four games in the aftermath of the deflation of footballs in last season’s A.F.C. championship game, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has appealed. Some questions and answers about the case:

What’s the Latest?

Brady’s appeal took place on Tuesday at N.F.L. headquarters on Park Avenue in New York. The hearing, closed to the public and news media, took more than 10 hours. “I think we put in a very compelling case,” Brady’s lawyer, Jeffrey L. Kessler, told The Associated Press afterward. Other principals were not available for comment.

Who Is Involved?

Despite the objections of the players’ union, the man hearing the appeal was Commissioner Roger Goodell, who authorized the suspension. Goodell has said that he has the right to hear appeals involving “conduct detrimental to the integrity of the game.”

Brady was represented by Kessler, who has represented the suspended players Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson. Kessler has also been involved in an antitrust lawsuit against the N.C.A.A. that seeks to gain better compensation for athletes.

What’s at Stake?

The lawyer Ted Wells produced an N.F.L.-financed report on the case, which found that Brady probably knew about a scheme by team personnel to deflate game balls.