As the NFL spring meetings are set to begin in San Francisco, a report has circulated tonight that the Patriots and NFL officials are negotiating behind-the-scenes in an effort to resolve their differences before any appeal is heard.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday night the two sides are engaged in "backchannel conversations."
The Patriots have been fined $1,000,000 and were also penalized with the loss of draft picks - a first-round pick in 2016 and a fourth-round pick in 2017. It is the biggest penalty in NFL history.
A report commissioned by independent investigator Ted Wells found it was "more probable than not" that the Patriots deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game and Tom Brady was at least "generally aware" that something inappropriate was happening.
Brady was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season without pay and has filed his appeal papers with the NFL. No date has been set for NFL to hear Brady's appeal.
