The Patriots begin training camp in a little more than a week, but there has been no timeline established for a ruling on Tom Brady's appeal. The Patriots quarterback challenged a four-game suspension levied by the NFL in a hearing with Commissioner Roger Goodell on June 23.
"There is no timeline," Goodell told TribLive.com on Tuesday before a fundraising event in Pittsburgh. "We want to make sure we have a fair and open process."
Goodell's statement Tuesday falls in line with an appeals process that has no true precedent in terms of timeframe. The New Orleans Saints' coaching staff heard back on their bounty-related penalties after four days and the players heard back in eight. Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy, whose suspension was recently reduced to four games, waited 43 days to hear the result, while Adrian Peterson waited eight and Ray Rice 22.
Regardless, New England will be waiting nervously. Without a timeline in place, the team will have to continue the delicate balance of prepping backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and game planning without Brady for the first four games of the season.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses the eight most intriguing training camp battles heading into the season.