The Sports Xchange

Efforts by the NFL Players Association to strike a deal with the league to reduce or eliminate the four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady have been ignored by the NFL.

ESPN reported Thursday that the players association last week extended an offer to the league, but the NFL did not acknowledge the offer.

Brady and the NFLPA plan to challenge the suspension in court if commissioner Roger Goodell doesn’t rule favorably on the quarterback’s appeal of the punishment tied to investigator Ted Wells’ findings in the Deflategate scandal.

Wells ruled that “more likely than not” Brady was at the very least aware of two team employees intentionally reducing the PSI of game balls in the AFC Championship game.

Goodell denied the union’s request to recuse himself as arbitrator in the appeal.

Tuesday, he said there is no timeline to rule on the appeal, which took place June 23 in New York. The Patriots report to training camp next week.