Tom Brady has announced he will stop pursuing legal action against his four-game suspension by the NFL.

Brady will miss the first four weeks and return for Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.

Brady was suspended for allegedly doctoring footballs in the AFC Championship Game in 2015.

"I'm very grateful for the overwhelming support I've received from Mr. Kraft, the Kraft family, coach Belichick, my coaches and teammates, the NFLPA, my agents, my loving family and most of all, our fans," wrote Brady on Facebook. "It has been a challenging 18 months and I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process. I'm going to work hard to be the best player I can be for the New England Patriots and I look forward to having the opportunity to return to the field this fall."

The NFLPA will continue to appeal Brady's suspension and reserves the right to petition the Supreme Court.

If Brady had served his suspension last season, it would have cost him $2.12 million. Under his new deal, Brady will only lose $235,294.