The players and owners are back in court today before a three judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. Each side will have 30 minutes to make its case to the Appeals Court which will decide on whether or not to end the lockout. Players will attempt to convince the court that the lockout should be lifted while owners are appealing to keep it in place.
The hearing follows reports (or wishful thinking) of some progress between the two sides. Thursday the NFLPA and the NFL released the following joint statement, “The parties met pursuant to court mediation. Owners and players were engaged in confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan. The court has ordered continued confidentiality of the mediation sessions.”
The statement came on the heels of reports that the parties met Wednesday and Thursday outside of Chicago. That meeting included commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan and several NFL owners and players.
Judge Boylan canceled mediation sessions scheduled for next week leading to much speculation that progress is being made.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones, the New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft, the Carolina Panthers’ Jerry Richardson, the New York Giants’ John Mara and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Art Rooney were reported as the owners present in Chicago along with Goodell.
NFLPA representatives reported at the meeting, besides Smith, included Kevin Mawae, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Mike Vrabel, the Indianapolis Colts’ Jeff Saturday, the New York Jets’ Tony Richardson and the Baltimore Ravens’ Domonique Foxworth.
The players have been trying to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the league. Following a breakdown in mediation sessions in March and the pending expiration of the CBA, the NFLPA decertified and the owners instituted the lockout.
The antitrust litigation in Brady vs. NFL is still pending before Judge Nelson. The league’s legal answer in that litigation is scheduled to be filed with the District Court on June 6.
