It’s a dumb rule, poorly enforced, and Goodell violated it at least as much as Brady did when he handed down punishment. BUT, the CBA grants the commish basically total power to level arbitrary punishment, and the courts won’t over turn that. This is what the players wanted, they were willing to trade sensible punishments with 3rd party arbitration for a slightly higher percentage of the revenues going to salary. Sorry Tom. Take your 4 games rest and come out angry and fresh.
Actually, the CBA gives the commissioner ridiculous powers...and Goodell even botched that. Two of the judges in the 2nd Appeals Court included Internet stuff in their summary that even the NFL didn’t claim, got the sequence of events out of order in regards notice, and demonstrated a most bizarre interpretation of what arbitration is.
For example, Brady has not yet actually had a hearing, much less an appeal, in regards the phone issue - as is required under the CBA.