NFL players at the annual meeting of the NFLPA Friday in Marco Island, Fla., said it was possible that they could talk with the NFL, but not as a union. They said they viewed a letter sent by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to all players Thursday as a way to divide them. “Any negotiations from this point forward will be with the class and with our representatives,” said Chiefs LB and NFLPA Exec Committee member Mike Vrabel. “What they don’t need to do is they don’t need to send a letter to every current player urging them to ask their 'union' -- to use Roger Goodell’s language. … Until he refers to us as a class and as an association, it’s going to be tough for us to move forward.” The NFLPA decertified as a union on March 11 and filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league that day. Vrabel is one of 10 named plaintiffs in the suit.
Cowboys LB and player rep Bradie James said he saw the purpose of Goodell’s letter as a way to divide players. Steelers S and player rep Ryan Clark said he saw it as a way to create confusion and dissension among the 1,900 players. About 100 players are attending the NFLPA’s meetings. Clark said the letter listed all the things that the NFL would give to the players under their proposal, but it didn’t say “it was the worst deal in the history of sports.”
