The NFL has begun its process of challenging the federal court decision that nullified a four-game suspension given to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for his alleged role in the Deflategate scandal.

In a pre-argument statement filed on Thursday by league attorneys with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, the NFL detailed the legal strategy it plans to use to appeal U.S. District Court Judge Richard Berman's ruling that commissioner Roger Goodell acted outside the NFL's collective bargaining agreement in suspending Brady.

The statement, penned by NFL attorney Daniel Nash, highlights three key arguments:

1. Whether Berman used the wrong federal law — the Federal Arbitration Act — to overturn the decision "rather than relying on the governing legal standard prescribed by the Labor Management Relations Act".

2. Whether Berman misinterpreted the NFL's collective bargaining agreement and "erred in his analysis of prior arbitration precedent, and findings of fact".

3. Whether Berman should have challenged Goodell's decision on certain findings based on the "court's disagreement with two of the arbitrator's discretionary evidentiary rulings, which were based on the arbitrator's interpretation of the CBA".

The strategy is similar to the one used by the NFL leading up to Berman's ruling, in which he found that the NFL did not properly inform Brady of the punishment he could face for having knowledge that footballs were deflated ahead of last year's AFC Championship Game.

In July, Goodell acted as arbitrator in the case when he ruled to uphold Brady's suspension.

Other Patriots employees who were accused of playing a role in Deflategate have since been reinstated.

Some observers and legal analysts have said the NFL's effort to appeal the decision is ill-fated.