The NFLPA yesterday sued the NFL Coaches Association, claiming the group owes the players $650,324.88, and that new NFLCA Exec Dir David Cornwell is not the legitimate head of the group. The NFLCA for many years operated out of the NFLPA offices and the two worked closely together. But last year, when the NFLCA filed an amicus brief during the lockout on the players’ behalf, the NFLPA was stung when numerous coaches said they did not support the brief. Cornwell’s election by the NFLCA Exec Committee on March 1 did not help the relationship, as it came weeks after he wrote a memo criticizing the leadership of NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith. Cornwell ran against Smith for the NFLPA position in March '09. “Although asked by the NFLPA for evidence that he was properly elected by the duly elected representatives of the NFL clubs, such evidence has not been forthcoming from Mr. Cornwell,” the lawsuit states. The union's point is the NFLCA constitution requires a meeting of its board of representatives to vote, and the new executive director cannot be elected via resolution from the group’s executive committee, as is allegedly the case here. The lawsuit seeks to prevent Cornwell from removing funds from the NFLCA account, which the NFLPA alleges could be used to pay back the debt. “The story here is that players reported to mini camps on Monday and sued their coaches on Tuesday,” Cornwell said. He maintains that the late NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw forgave some of the debt. The case was filed in the Superior Court of DC civil division (Daniel Kaplan, SportsBusiness Journal). YAHOO SPORTS' Jason Cole reported paying such an amount asked for in the suit "could cripple the fledgling NFLCA." The lawsuit states that the NFLCA "has $308,509.69 in the bank" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/18).
