Goodell says NFL does not want a work stoppage

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A day after NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith suggested that league owners are preparing for a lockout in the 2011 season, commissioner Roger Goodell said the owners are not interested in a work stoppage and expressed confidence that a deal eventually will be struck for a collective-bargaining agreement extension.

"The idea that ownership would be in favor of a work stoppage would be false," Goodell said Friday at his annual state-of-the-NFL news briefing. "You don't make money by shutting down your business. It's a bad scenario. I can assure you owners want to get an agreement and we are determined and committed to do that. I'm right there at the forefront."

On Thursday, Smith was asked whether he thinks there will be a lockout in 2011, on a scale of 1-10, and he responded: "14."

But Goodell emphasized that the two sides need to work toward an agreement and not ratchet up the rhetoric.

"We want the players to be paid well," he said. "The issue is creating a system for everyone to benefit and grow the pie."

Goodell acknowledged that several owners second-guessed their decision to approve a CBA extension in 2006 because it gave too much money to the players. The owners opted out of the agreement in 2008, meaning the agreement will end after the 2011 draft. Barring a last-minute agreement, the 2010 season will be the first without a salary cap since 1993.

"Our focus is getting an agreement before there's a work stoppage," Goodell said. "We still have a lot of time to structure something that makes sense for everybody. We want an agreement that's fair to the game, to the players, and will allow us to continue to invest in the game."

Goodell also addressed several other issues:

Changing culture: "We need to make the game safer and to make sure that coaches and players understand the serious nature of these injuries. We have more work to do, but we think we're making progress on the awareness and we're changing the culture and making sure we deal with concussions in a conservative medical fashion."

Goodell said improvements will continue to be made in equipment, and it's possible that new rules will be in place to limit contact drills during the offseason and training camp.

On improvements to minority coaching hires: "I think significant progress is being made, but I would love to see more rapid progress. There will be an awful lot of coaches in the NFL - black, white, Hispanic - that will be frustrated because there are only 32 opportunities as head coaches. We'll look to evolve the Rooney Rule to ensure we have the right processes in place. There are a lot of great coaches out there, and we have to provide the opportunity to get our best people on and off the field."

Under terms of the Rooney Rule, NFL teams are required to interview at least one minority candidate for a head-coaching position before naming a new coach. The rule came under scrutiny after the Redskins hired Mike Shanahan and the Seahawks hired Pete Carroll; it appeared both teams targeted those two with no intention of hiring another coach.

An 18-game regular season: "We're staying within the 20-game format [including preseason], and there is a real strong logic that needs further consideration. It's a way to grow the financial pie by having two more regular-season games."

Changes to overtime rules: "We've looked at tweaking it in trying to make it better. But in discussions with clubs and players, we haven't found a better solution. The players and coaches support the system. We saw overtime twice in the postseason, and they were maybe two of the most exciting games we've ever had [Cardinals-Packers and Saints-Vikings]. The rule has served the league well, but we'll continue to look for a solution. But I wouldn't hold your breath for that solution." Translation: No changes coming.

Pro Bowl changes? Goodell would like to see the game played the week before the Super Bowl, as it was this season. The game will move back to Hawaii for the next two years, but it could return to the mainland on a rotation basis. "It gave our players a great platform to be on this stage," Goodell said.

Improved benefits for retired players: "When it comes to retired players, we all have to do more for them. We know the situations they face. Some have financial challenges, others have other challenges. These are men that helped us build this great game, and we need to make sure we do the right thing for them."