Mediation resumes Thursday for NFL, NFLPA
For the first time since negotiations broke down March 11 in Washington, representatives from the NFL and the NFL Players Association will meet Thursday in Minneapolis.
Both sides were ordered to resume the federal mediation process by Federal Judge Susan Nelson, who heard arguments last week on a motion for a preliminary injunction to lift the lockout, filed by attorneys for 10 players suing the league on antitrust grounds. Those players and attorneys were joined by another group, which included former Vikings defensive end Carl Eller and former Chiefs running back Priest Holmes, that also is suing the league.
The mediator, U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, was assigned by Nelson, who said she would need "a couple of weeks" to decide whether to lift the injunction. Boylan met Tuesday with player representatives, including attorneys Jim Quinn and Jeffrey Kessler, and spoke Wednesday with NFL representatives, including lead negotiator Jeff Pash and outside counsel Bob Batterman.
By waiting at least several days to decide about the injunction, Nelson seemed anxious to bring the sides together in mediation, although it's still no guarantee that the labor problems will be resolved.
But at least they're talking. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith are expected to be among the participants Thursday. It will be their first contact since talks collapsed last month.
Although no formal bargaining talks are expected immediately, the NFL is prepared to follow through on its promise to steer more money to veteran players while slowing the growth of salaries for incoming rookies.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the league's latest offer would divert about $300 million per season from first-round draft picks' contracts to veteran players and to player benefits. According to documents that were obtained by AP, the league's offer would free more than $1.2 billion by 2016 and dramatically reduce the growth rate of guaranteed payments to first-rounders. According to the documents, those payments increased 233 percent since 2000.
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