NFL Owners Offer Revised Proposals To NFLPA On Core Issues

NFL owners offered revised proposals this morning to the NFLPA on core issues, and they were apparently enough to keep the two sides talking as the union’s deadline for decertifying approached. The union must decertify by 5:00pm ET in order to be able file an antitrust lawsuit against the league in the six months after the CBA expires. The longer-than-expected talks could be a sign that a third extension of the deadline  is coming, though at presstime that is uncertain (Daniel Kaplan, SportsBusiness Journal).

Multiple reports claim NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith Friday afternoon told players that the union is planning to decertify despite a late push by NFL owners. Smith held a conference call at 2:00pm to update players not partaking in mediation in DC, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter reports, “We'll see if anything changes, it always could, but De Smith told players during his conference call the plan is to decertify.” The N.Y. Daily News’ Gary Myers added, “Latest hearing now is decertification is way union leaning, but not final.”

For continuing updates, see the SBJ/SBD NFL Labor Watch page.