Fowler was fined 25 times for missing mandatory appointments with the Jags' trainer or doctorGETTY IMAGES
The NFLPA and Rams DE Dante Fowler "won a ruling on a grievance" against his former team, the Jaguars, after an arbiter "ruled the team was remiss in fining Fowler more than $700,000 for missing rehabilitation or medical appointments before training camp," according to Garry Smits of the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION. Although the NFLPA did not "identify the player involved, Fowler confirmed on his Twitter account that it was him." The arbiter "ruled that the Jaguars cannot fine players for missing rehab or medical appointments during the off-season or during periods of voluntary activities, nor can the team make those periods mandatory." The NFLPA in an email wrote that Fowler was "fined 25 times for missing mandatory appointments with the team trainer or doctor." The email said that the arbiter "rejected the team's contention that the team had a right to fine a player for not rehabbing at a club facility." The CBA gives teams the "right to require player to rehab year-round." But teams "cannot force a player to rehab in a team's city during a voluntary period." The NFLPA also "chastised the Jaguars for 'the blatant overreach' in voluntary offseason activities." The NFLPA claimed that 25% of the grievances filed by players in the NFL in the last two years "were against the Jaguars" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/17).
TIME FOR CHANGE: CBSSPORTS.com's Jonathan Jones wrote the arbiter's ruling "may be the death knell" for Tom Coughlin's role with the team as Exec VP/Football Operations. The NFLPA gave a "warning" to players in their email. They wrote, "You as players may want to consider this when you have a chance to select your next club." Jaguars Owner Shad Khan "must wipe the slate clean entering the new decade." The Jaguars "could and should be an attractive spot for free agents." However, Coughlin has "made it difficult for today's players to enjoy what it has to offer." It is "impossible to separate Doug Marrone's successes and failures as a coach from Coughlin since the Super Bowl-winning coach was the football czar of the operation" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/16).
