The Facts: On Monday, the NFL and Brady return to court for a third — and presumably final — hearing regarding the legality of the four-game suspension imposed in May on Brady. While Judge Richard M. Berman has done his best to try to push the two sides toward a settlement, there's no indication that any progress has been made.

Diehards Line:Then again, there’s no reason to make progress in advance of Monday’s in-court proceedings, where Judge Berman once again will try to twist arms. As PFT's Mike Florio points out, it’s a deadline-driven business, and there’s no deadline like appearing in court before a judge who will be issuing a ruling soon, absent an agreement. The NFL and NFL Players Association have jointly requested that Judge Berman issue a ruling by September 4, six days before the Week 1 game between the Steelers and Patriots. Judge Berman hasn’t promised a decision by then, possibly hoping that the uncertainty will push the two sides closer together. Stay tuned.