Here Are The Two Reasons Tom Brady's Appeal Actually Has A Chance

According to reports, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is going to appeal his four-game suspension for his role in Deflategate.

Monday was deadline day for Brady to appeal his suspension handed down by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and the four-time Super Bowl champion is apparently refusing to accept his ban without at least one more fight.

So, there's only one thing left to ask, really: Does Tom Brady have any shot in hell of actually winning this appeal?

Thanks to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, it appears we may have that answer. Shortly after news of Brady's appeal decision started making waves, Rapoport tweeted two arguments Brady and his legal team could pursue in order to overturn the four-game suspension.

This is an interesting argument. If in fact Roger Goodell ignored the determined schedule of penalties in handing down his punishment for Brady, then the Patriots quarterback and his legal team may have a clear-cut route to overturning the Deflategate suspension on appeal.

According to Rapoport, it certainly seems Brady's lawyer is confident in the chances of successfully appealing the suspension.

If you think Goodell's alleged failure to follow the NFL's schedule of penalties isn't enough to overturn Tom Brady's suspension, Rapoport also outlined an additional argument Brady's legal team will probably make.

Now, I don't have any real, concrete legal knowledge, but it seems the affirmation of a suspension based on "different grounds" than the actual suspension would certainly be reason enough for a successful appeal.

And, if Brady's Deflategate suspension is overturned on this appeal, it appears he'll almost certainly play in Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season.

Buckle up, folks, because if you follow what Rapoport is saying, things could get very interesting for Tom Brady, Roger Goodell and the NFL.

Citations: Ian Rapoport (Twitter)