Judge Prods N.F.L. at Hearing on Tom Brady’s Suspension

Photo Tom Brady appeared in federal court Wednesday in his appeal of his four-game suspension. Credit Mary Altaffer/Associated Press After seven months of accusations, recriminations and bluster, the N.F.L. and the New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady faced off in federal court before a skeptical judge who grilled both sides about Brady’s four-game suspension for his role in the deflation of footballs used in a playoff game.

Judge Richard M. Berman of Federal District Court in Manhattan, who has urged the sides to settle their dispute out of court, questioned lawyers from both sides for about an hour but spent a lot of time poking at the N.F.L.’s case. The N.F.L. is seeking to fend off…