The NFL Players' Association formally appealed NFL commissioner Roger Goddell's suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the aftermath of the deflate-gate controversy.

Basing on the Wells report, by Ted Wells"”the league-hired "independent" investigator, the league suspended Brady four games without pay, fined the Patriots $1 million, and stripped them of two draft picks.

"Given the NFL's history of inconsistency and arbitrary decisions in disciplinary matters, it is only fair that a neutral arbitrator hear this appeal," the Players Association said in a statement.

But it appears that's not going to happen, as Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report cited sources that said it would be commissioner Roger Goodell who will be hearing Brady's appeal.

"Commissioner Goodell will hear the appeal of Tom Brady's suspension in accordance with the process agreed upon with the NFL Players Association in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement," a released statement said.

Freeman called the development "huge, and unexpected," which will translate to Goodell basically ruling upon his own punishment.

Frank Schwab of Shutdown Corner writes, ""¦maintaining total power is important to the NFL, more than the appearance of fairness in an incredibly high-profile case. Losing the Brady appeal would be embarrassing to the league, and given the lack of evidence, there was a real chance the NFL would have lost. So Goodell made sure that won't happen."

The Players Association is critical of Wells' report, and his title as an "independent" investigator when it was the league that hired him. The Patriots even prepared a 20,000-word report specifically denying the allegations in Wells' report, as noted by Shutdown Corner.

Apart from fining the Patriots the unprecedented amount, and suspending Brady, the NFL also indefinitely suspended two Patriots equipment staffers that the league believed carried out the plan to inflate footballs below the league mandated minimum of 12.5 pounds per square inch.