The NFL and the NFLPA yesterday met to "discuss possible changes to the league's personal conduct policy, but there appears to be at least some disagreement between the sides about the nature of those discussions," according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Giants President & CEO John Mara after the meeting said that there was "some dispute between the sides as to which aspects of this the league is obligated to collectively bargain." The union said that its "preference is that the current discussions be official collective bargaining sessions so that any changes to the personal conduct policy would be written" into the CBA. NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith said, "While the league might be concerned about its brand, the issue of due process and justice for our players is equally if not more important." Graziano noted Smith attended the meeting with NFLPA President Eric Winston and Exec Council members Zak DeOssie and Jay Feely, while the league's side included Commissioner Roger Goodell, Mara and NFL Exec VP/Football Operations Troy Vincent. The union said that it "took issue with the perceived starting point of the discussions, which have grown out of the league's handling of recent high-profile discipline cases involving players such as Ray Rice and Greg Hardy." The NFLPA "doesn't want this discussion to be a reaction to misconduct by a handful of players." Sources said that the union "believes Goodell's admitted mishandling of the Rice discipline might create the necessary leverage to remove him from his current role in that regard." A source said that one point "raised in that regard was since Goodell [was] willing to allow a neutral third party to determine Rice's appeal in such a high-profile case, that could be the norm for other players in cases that wouldn't result in the same level of public scrutiny" (ESPN.com, 10/14).
PLAYERS' POWER PLAY? ESPN's Phil Savage said for the NFLPA, "one of the things in terms of due process that they'd like to see happen is some sort of deputy vice president for discipline, some sort of deputy commissioner, associate commissioner so that Roger Goodell could be separated from this overall process." ESPN's Ed Werder added, "There's no question that the players union thinks it has the leverage to force Roger Goodell to relinquish his power in terms of discipline in the personal conduct policy much as they have in the drug policy" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN, 10/14). ESPN's Brian Dawkins said Goodell has to "relinquish some of that power and have other people involved to have checks and balances." ESPN's Andrew Brandt said it is "positive news" that Goodell and Smith are meeting for the "first substantive time" since the last CBA negotiations. Brandt: "This has been Roger Goodell's baby, conduct, and ... he's willing to be inclusive." ESPNW's Jane McManus: "I really do think the NFL needs to be leaning toward transparency with all of this. You really can't move forward without really looking at and addressing what's happened in the past" ("OTL," ESPN2, 10/14).
CONCUSSIONS UPDATE: ESPN.com's Fainaru-Wada & Fainaru reported the family of the late Dave Duerson was among the former NFLers who "filed an objection to the NFL concussion settlement" yesterday. The objection, "like a similar one filed on behalf of seven other former players, blasts the deal as unfair for limiting payouts" for CTE. Attorneys for Duerson's family and nine other former NFLers "argue that the settlement 'disenfranchises the families who will inevitably suffer the horrific ramifications of CTE' by not compensating players who are diagnosed with the disease after July 7 of this year -- the date the settlement received preliminary approval from U.S. District Judge Anita Brody." Duerson's is "actually one of about 50 cases that stand to be compensated for a CTE diagnosis." Duerson's objection "follows one initially filed by seven former NFL players, including concussion activist Sean Morey" (ESPN.com, 10/14). In N.Y., Belson & Pennington note the former players "had until midnight Tuesday to declare whether they would opt out of the proposed settlement." There is "no precise percentage of opt-outs needed to persuade a judge to force the sides back to the negotiating table." A court administrator "will divulge the number of players who have opted out by Nov. 3" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/15).
BATTLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: USA TODAY's Lindsay Jones reports Steelers CB William Gay is "one of 22 current and former players who this week filmed public service announcements for the NO MORE campaign that will begin airing during NFL games on Oct. 23." The group "included current stars" like Giants QB Eli Manning and Cowboys TE Jason Witten, as well as Pro Football HOFers Cris Carter, Curtis Martin and Aeneas Williams. Also, Chargers TE Antonio Gates "spent Tuesday afternoon filming" in L.A., while Saints TE Benjamin Watson "flew to Dallas with his daughter to film his part in the PSA" (USA TODAY, 10/15).
