January 6, 2020 Contract / Harassment / Litigation / NFL

NFL Agent Sues NFLPA for Harassment and Harm to Reputation

NFL player agent Vincent Porter is suing the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), claiming that they unfairly harassed him over dismissed criminal charges and ultimately ruined his professional reputation.

In 2014, Porter was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The NFLPA suspended Porter after the charges were announced and publicized his suspension. Porter entered a deferred prosecution agreement and eventually had his charges dismissed with prejudice. Following the dismissal of charges, the suspension was reversed in 2016 after an arbitration between Porter and the NFLPA. …

November 15, 2019 Baseball / Hockey / Labor & Employment / Litigation / MLB / NFL / NHL / Tax

NFL, MLB, and NHL Players’ Associations Sue Pittsburgh Over “Unconstitutional” Athletes Fee

The city of Pittsburgh is being challenged for a fee it is charging nonresident professional athletes who play for Pittsburgh teams.

The NHL Players’ Association, MLB Players’ Association, and NFL Players’ Association, along with baseball player Jeff Francoeur and hockey players Kyle Palmieri and Scott Wilson, have sued the city of Pittsburgh. The city currently imposes a three percent general revenue income fee on professional athletes who reside out of state. Athletes who live in the city, however, pay only a one percent fee. Pittsburgh …

September 13, 2018 Class Actions / Concussions / NFL

Retired Chicago Bears Player Sues NFL Over Risk of Brain Injuries

Former Bears player Craig Steltz has brought action against the National Football League, claiming that the organization deliberately abandoned its duty to players’ health in concealing the dangers of head injuries relating to the sport.

Steltz claims that under the 2006 and 2011 collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the National Football League Players Association, the NFL assumed a duty to protect the health and safety of the players within the organization, which extended to providing information about the risks to long-term injury. The …

July 24, 2015 Contract / NFL

Marcus Mariota – Conflict Inevitable in Contract Negotiation

In 2011, the National Football League and the National Football League Players Association reworked their collective bargaining agreement, which brought a major change to the structure of rookie contracts. Gone were the days of massive dollars for players yet to play a down in the NFL. In their place: structured, cookie-cutter deals that have a fixed compensation value based on which slot in the draft the player is selected. Every contract is for the same length of time as well. The goal was to streamline …