The NFL Combine will be occurring in Indianapolis next week, but in addition to the testing of potential NFL Draft picks, the Combine serves as a backdrop for meetings between the NFL and NFL Players Association.
Last year’s meeting were focused on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement which was finalized in August, but there is still much on the table to be discussed this year including player safety and HGH testing.
On the HGH issue, NFLPA Executive George Atallah said, “It’s dependent on information.”
“We believe the proposal we gave to the league, which includes a population study for our players and fair appeals rights, are really not dependent on a date.”
The league and the players have been disagreeing about the next steps to implement a program, and how reliable the current testing protocols are. The NFLPA has proposed the additional study to ensure the accurace of the testing.
“We’re as concerned with false positives as we are with false negatives,” Atallah said. “If we really want an effective plan, we have to be able to catch people who are cheating. We can’t if people in the doping community know this test is not reliable.”
The issue of player safety will also be discussed, including the possibility of mandatory additional padding during games and the possibility of additional measures focused on concussion prevention.
“We’ve got a great agreement that we’re really proud of and stand behind, but it’s not always perfect,” Atallah said. “Forums like the combine and (meeting with the) competition committee give us an opportunity to talk to our partners to try and continue to improve our game.”
Atallah also indicated that the NFLPA would like an expanded role in cooperation with the NFL on its development programs to prepare players for post-NFL careers. The two sides will be working together on a rookie symposium scheduled for June 24-30 near Canton, Ohio. The NFLPA held its own symposium last year, after the League cancelled its normal event due to the lockout.
