Free agency

Year: 1992

Case: McNeil v. the NFL

Importance: This case is the landmark antitrust jury trial that led to Free Agency in the NFL.  This case paved the way for Reggie White's class action lawsuit against the NFL and ultimately secured the current free agency and salary cap terms in the league.

Belichick vs Jets and NFL

Year: 2000

Case: Bill Belichick vs. NFL and New York Jets

Importance: When Belichick signed with the New York Jets, he agreed to be the heir apparent to their head coaching position once Bill Parcells stepped down. He was named head coach as soon as Parcells retired, but within two days, he himself retired from the position - citing that because the Jets were under new ownership, he no longer had to adhere to his contractual obligations.

Belichick wanted to coach the New England Patriots.

Belichick hired Kessler as his attorney, and after a number of tries and a trade between the Jets and Patriots, Belichick was finally able to come to New England. The rest is history.

Bountygate

Year: 2011 - 2012

Case: Vilma et al vs NFL

Importance: Over the course of three seasons (2009-2011), the NFL found that the New Orleans Saints had been orchestrating a bounty system to purposely injur star players on opposing teams. In 2012, Jonathan Vilma and three other Saints players were suspended (Vilma for the entire 2012 season).

At the behest of Kessler, Vilma and seven other witnesses testified in front of a federal judge claiming that Commissioner Roger Goodell had false information regarding the bounty system and that these players were instructed by coaches and personel. 

All of their suspensions were vacated in Fall of 2012, and Vilma (pictured) ended up playing in 11 games that season.

Ray Rice

Year: 2014

Case: Ray Rice and NFLPA vs NFL

Importance: Following accusations of beating his wife in an elevator, Ray Rice was indefinetly suspended by Goodell for the remainder of the 2014-2015 season and beyond. The NFLPA gave Kessler a call and within months Rice's suspension was vacated. 

Photo Credit: "RayRice27" by Keith Allison - on Flickr

Adrian Peterson

Year: 2014

Case: Adrian Peterson and NFLPA vs NFL

Importance: Peterson was accused in May of 2014 for beating his son with a branch of a tree. 

Kessler argued that because the incident occurred prior to the NFL's new conduct policy which was released in August 2014, Peterson should not be subject to it. 

The case went to federal court and Peterson's suspension was vacated. He was reinstated on April 15, 2015.

Photo Credit: "Adrian Peterson 2010" by Mike Morbeck - Flickr

Deflategate

Year: 2015

Case: Tom Brady vs NFL (Pending) 

Importance: It was recently announced that Tom Brady had hired Kessler to be part of his legal team in his defense in the Deflategate controversy. It is likely Brady appeals his four game suspension sometime today and then the legal process will begin.