NFL Lockout Watch, Day 105: Goodell, Smith Jointly Address Media At End Of Week's Talks

NFL owners and players “wrapped up their fourth set of ‘secret’ meetings Thursday, highlighted by a joint appearance” from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith, who “both pledged a commitment to reach an agreement in time to start the 2011 season on schedule,” according to Albert Breer of NFL.com. It was the “first time Goodell and Smith appeared together to deliver a statement since the lockout began.” Goodell said, “We're all working hard, the players and owners were here over the last few days, and De and I were here for the entire meetings also. And it's complicated, and it's complex, but we're working hard. … I think both of us feel strongly that we're going to continue to work hard on it." Smith added, “Someone asked me if I was optimistic -- I think we're both optimistic when we have the right people in the room. We know we're talking about the right issues, and we're working hard to get it done. It's extremely complicated. It requires a lot of hard work by a lot of people. But we're committed to getting something done. And we're going to keep working at it." League sources said that Thursday “marked the first time since the parties began meeting in clandestine sessions May 31 that the rookie pay system was broached, and some bumps were expected.” Breer noted the owners also were represented at the meetings by Giants President & CEO John Mara, Chargers President & CEO Dean Spanos, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson, Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt, NFL outside counsel Bob Batterman and "other legal people." The players' group included Ravens CB Domonique Foxworth, Jets FB Tony Richardson, Colts C Jeff Saturday, former NFLer Pete Kendall, NFLPA outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler and General Counsel Richard Berthelsen. The talks are "expected to continue next week, with the NFLPA staging its rookie symposium concurrently in Bradenton, Fla." (NFL.com, 6/23).

ALL SIGNS POINT TO A DEAL: In N.Y., Bart Hubbuch reports Thursday "got off to a mildly rocky start, with Smith telling the players in a conference call that a deal was not close despite the tide of optimism that has been building over the past two weeks." But industry sources said that Smith's "downbeat message to the players was merely intended to keep expectations in check, and that both sides still remain highly optimistic a new labor deal can be struck by mid-July -- in time to allow training camps to start on schedule" (N.Y. POST, 6/24). In St. Louis, Bryan Burwell notes from "all the most knowledgeable conversations we've heard, a real breakthrough has happened and a season that once looked like it could be at risk is showing signs of life." Burwell: "The only way a deal doesn't get done now is if somebody out there simply wants to pick a fight and send this lockout into a death spiral that will surely eat up games, profits and a ton of public goodwill. ... If these negotiations fall apart now, it will be because of a contentious class warfare among the owners" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/24).

Have a question about the status of the NFL’s labor talks? E-mail us your questions and we will have SportsBusiness Journal NFL writer Daniel Kaplan answer them in our NFL CBA mailbag.