Tom Brady's lawyer: We made 'very compelling case' to overturn Deflategate suspension

Show Caption Hide Caption What's next after Tom Brady's Deflategate appeal hearing USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes recaps the stakes of Tom Brady's Deflategate appeal hearing.

NEW YORK — Tom Brady got the chance to tell his side of the Deflategate story and reiterated his innocence in front of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday.

Now it's up to Goodell to decide whether Brady's sworn testimony — and the rest of the case presented by his union-appointed attorney, Jeffrey Kessler — was convincing enough to reduce or overturn the New England Patriots quarterback's four-game suspension.

"We put in a very compelling case, that's all I'll say," said Kessler, who left league headquarters at 8:42 p.m. ET.

Brady left the league's Park Avenue headquarters through a parking garage according to building security.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello posted on Twitter that no further hearings are scheduled.

Brady testified under oath at an appeals hearing that ended Tuesday night after roughly 10 hours in front of Goodell, who had made clear publicly he was interested in hearing what the four-time Super Bowl winner and two-time league MVP had to say.

A person with knowledge of Brady's testimony said he stuck with the story he has told since the investigation began: that if there were any scheme to deflate footballs below permissible levels for January's AFC title rout of the Indianapolis Colts, he didn't know about it or order it.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the proceedings were confidential.

Other witnesses called by Brady's team, per the person, included NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent, whom Goodell authorized to issue the discipline May 11; attorney Ted Wells, who led the NFL-backed investigation that found it more probable than not that Brady was "at least generally aware" of the scheme; and a scientific expert.

There is no firm timetable for Goodell to announce a decision on Brady's status, just the latest development in a saga that has now dragged on more than five months. Lose, and Brady's next step could be filing a federal lawsuit with a request for a temporary restraining order that would allow him to be on the field while the legal process plays out.

Three days after Vincent issued the discipline, the NFLPA appealed on three grounds: that only the commissioner has the authority to impose discipline; the four-game suspension is "grossly inconsistent" with prior treatment of similar alleged conduct; and the discipline is based on the Wells report, which contains insufficient evidence to find Brady in violation of NFL rules.

The union also asked Goodell to recuse himself in favor of a neutral arbitrator, but the commissioner rejected the motion, citing the importance of his duty to safeguard the integrity of the game.

Amid dozens of news cameras and hundreds of onlookers camped out on the sidewalk, Brady entered the league's Manhattan offices through a side door, clad in a dark suit and tie and white shirt.

Several commuters stopped to take in the atmosphere. So did a few Patriots supporters, one of which held a sign that read "FREE BRADY" on the front and "DEFLATE THIS" with a drawing of four Super Bowl trophies on the back.

"You would think the President is here," said Tony Brignoni, 44. "But I don't mind seeing this. I'm a Dolphins fan and he's been killing us for 15 years, so any chance to see the Patriots in pain, I'll take it."

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Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero and Lorenzo Reyes @Lorenzo_G_Reyes