The latest on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as he gets set for today’s settlement conference in NYC..
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) has spoken with six NFL owners who would consider independent mediation/arbitration on discipline for Brady. One of the owners told Cole that he feels the situation is only hurting Roger Goodell.
- Settlement talks between the NFL and NFLPA on Tuesday regarding the Brady situation went nowhere, Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears from a source. Admission-of-guilt, he says, remains a stumbling block. The NFL is now saying there will be no settlement unless Brady accepts the findings of the Wells report, sources tell Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- As the settlement conference approaches, some wonder whether commissioner Roger Goodell truly has the power to resolve the case without making one or more phone calls to one more owners, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Throughout the labor negotiations of 2011, the Commissioner was joined by the CEC, a group of 10 owners who were directly involved in talks that culminated in a new labor deal. He may have to take a similar approach in order to settle with the Patriots quarterback.