NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to the 2011 NFL rookie class in Sarasota Florida. They gave a brief update on the status of the negotiations and then took questions from the rookies. The player questions were candid and raw and in return so were the answers they received. In addition to talking about the lockout, Smith and Goodell emphasized the importance of the rookies to understand the game as a business and prepare themselves now for life after football.
After addressing the rookies, Smith and Goodell briefly addressed the media outside the hotel.
Smith opened the conference with the following statement, “We obviously spoke to the rookie class here at the Business of Football Symposium. We are not going to take questions but both of us wanted to come out and tell you that. We’re continuing to work hard. Both of us felt that it was important to come down for this event. Obviously, what we are doing on the business of football on a macro scale is about getting a fair deal done and trying to get back to the game and business of football as quickly as possible. This event was important to ensure that our young men appreciated how important we think these few days are. I’m thrilled that Roger could come down with us and talk to the rookies in a very good, direct way.”
“It was a great opportunity for us to be able to sit with the rookies. They obviously have lots of questions. We answered the questions as best we could. But you all know that we’re under certain restrictions. We’re taking a break because we felt it was important to be down here with the players. We both have great respect, obviously, for the players. This is an important few days. We’re going to get back to work,” said Goodell.
With that both men said they would be heading back to Minnesota today and getting back to working on the business of football.
