NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made it official Tuesday: He will hear Tom Brady’s appeal of his four-game suspension.

The league suspended the Patriots quarterback for his role in the use of deflated footballs by New England in its AFC championship game victory over Indianapolis in January. The players’ union said Goodell should recuse himself from hearing the appeal because he can’t be impartial and could be called as a witness.

But Goodell cited the “integrity of the game” and his “responsibility” under the labor agreement to “serve as hearing officer in any appeal involving conduct detrimental to the integrity of the game.”



Adrian Peterson returns to Minnesota Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Adrian Peterson donned his familiar purple No. 28 jersey and jogged on to the practice field Tuesday.

It was the start of a gradual process of putting behind the chaos and confusion that engulfed him and the Minnesota Vikings over the past nine months.

After making a surprise return to practice for the first time since September, Peterson said he has “learned a lot from my mistake” that resulted in child abuse charges against him.



Newton 5-year deal worth $103.8 million

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman believes Cam Newton can lead the Panthers to “the Promised Land” so he made the fifth-year quarterback the highest-paid player in franchise history.

He’ll get no argument from Newton.

“I feel like I can get us there as well,” Newton said of leading the Panthers to their first Super Bowl title.



NFL looking for more international games in Mexico, Germany

NEW YORK (AP) — Commissioner Roger Goodell casually mentioned last month the NFL’s interest in adding more international games. He mentioned potential contests in Germany, Mexico and Brazil.

Sure, the league has been thoroughly satisfied with its series of game at Wembley Stadium, with three more London matches set for the 2015 season. The appetite for more global expansion has been whetted, though, and while future games in the United Kingdom pretty much are a certainty, events along the Rhein or in Rio might loom, too.



Ray McDonald’s ex says former 49er repeatedly attacked her

SANTA CLARA (AP) — Former San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Ray McDonald’s ex-fiancee says in court records that McDonald repeatedly attacked her over several months.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that a restraining order obtained by the newspaper Tuesday shows the 27-year-old woman says he once choked her and once put his knee to her stomach while she was pregnant, according to her application for the temporary restraining order.