Tom Brady appeal denied by second circuit; what's next?

The DeflateGate scandal from the 2014 season took one step closer to having some finality. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was suspended four games by the National Football League, had his most recent appeal denied.

The United States second circuit court of appeals, weeks after Brady made his pitch, has denied the quarterback's request for a hearing. As of now Brady is still slated to serve his four-game suspension, which would benefit the Buffalo Bills.

If the suspension were to be upheld and nothing changes, the Bills would not play Brady in Week Four, their first of two matchups.

Brady does, however, still have another course of action to challenge the ruling of the suspension, or at the very least, to delay the suspension. The Patriots quarterback can request an appeal hearing all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

And, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB, Brady's representatives have had that course of action in mind.

.... And Brady's camp has maintained through this that they're willing to fight it to the end. The next step is, literally, the end.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 13, 2016

If he does not take it to the Supreme Court, the suspension to start the 2016 season will go on as planned.

Twitter: @JoeBuscaglia