NFL Players Association Sues NFL over Adrian Peterson’s Suspension

Following the arbitrator’s decision on Friday that upheld Adrian Peterson’s suspension by the league, the NFL Players Association (“NFLPA”) filed a suit in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.

According to the filing, the NFLPA claimed that arbitrator Harold Henderson was prejudiced and unfair in affirming the suspension. The NFLPA argued Henderson’s former executive position at and financial ties to the NFL make him biased. Moreover, it further claimed that the decision ignored due process and followed the NFL’s new policy, which was implemented without collective …

September 26, 2014 NFL

NFL Asks Court to Dismiss NFLPA’s 2010 Salary Cap Collusion Claim

The NFL is seeking the court to nix the NFLPA’s claim that teams colluded to cap salaries in 2010 during which salaries were unrestricted because the league opted out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the players.

In a filing submitted on Wednesday, the NFL argued that the NFLPA is not entitled to any relief because the players voluntarily decided to release the collusion claim in a February 2013 CBA. Additionally, there was a separate release in the 2011 CBA barring the NFLPA’s current …

June 24, 2014 NFL

NFLPA Collusion Case Back On

On Friday June 20, the 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals breathed some life back into the NFLPA’s 2012 claim against the NFL. In 2010, the NFLPA opted out of their collective bargaining agreement with the NFL. As a result, the 2010 season proceeded without a salary cap. When Washington and Dallas were slapped with subsequent salary cap penalties for their generous spending in the 2010 season, the NFLPA brought this claim against the NFL for colluding with the NFL teams and enforcing a secret …

June 12, 2014 NFL

Jackson Claims Bias in NFLPA

DeSean Jackson filed a cross-petition in the Central District Court of California last week to vacate an arbitration award against him in favor of his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Long-time NFLPA arbitrator Roger Kaplan awarded Rosenhaus $516,000 in unpaid loans and fees. Jackson seeks dismissal of the award, claiming Rosenhaus violated several NFLPA regulations and that Rosenhaus’ relationship with many members within the NFLPA resulted in biased arbitration.

In his complaint, Jackson points out that NFLPA executive director, DeMaurice Smith, and NFLPA president, Eric Winston, have …

March 13, 2014 Concussions / NFL

The Real Story behind the NFL Players’ Association “$100 Million Research Grant” to Harvard Medical School

The NFL Players’ Association (NFLPA) recently announced that it would provide a $100 million grant to Harvard Medical School to fund research aimed at improving the health and safety of NFL players. Now, an “Outside the Lines” report has revealed that the NFLPA never intended to pay the entire grant amount. Instead, the NFLPA’s public announcement – conveniently timed on the night before the Super Bowl for maximum press coverage – appears to have been a PR stunt aimed at pressuring the NFL into fronting …

February 5, 2014 Concussions

Junior Seau’s Family Displeased with Proposed Settlement in NFL Concussion Case

Fighting recently broke out amongst plaintiff’s attorneys attempting to settle the massive multi-district concussion litigation against the NFL after the presiding judge, U.S. District Judge Anita Brody, nixed a $760 million dollar settlement deal proposal. Judge Brody’s concerns were that the lump sum would be inadequate to fund what could potentially involve 20,000 claims by a variety of NFL alumni over a period of 65 years. Now, the family of the deceased NFL star Junior Seau is voicing their own objections to the proposed deal.…

January 30, 2014 Concussions

Delay of Game: Slow Progress on Settlement in NFL Concussion Litigation

By late last year the giant NFL concussion lawsuit – a case where several thousand former NFL players are suing the league for intentionally downplaying the risks of concussions and related head injuries – looked to be drawing to an early end. Now, one week after U.S. District Judge Anita Brody rejected a motion for preliminary approval of a proposed $765 million settlement to end the ongoing multi-district concussion litigation against the NFL, renewed settlement talks amongst attorneys for the 4,500+ NFL alumni are becoming …

January 27, 2014 Concussions

Missouri Law Could Spell Trouble for NFL’s Chiefs in New Concussion Lawsuit

The NFL and over 4,500 former players are currently attempting to negotiate a settlement in the massive multi-district concussion litigation against the league. In brief, the plaintiffs’ accuse the NFL of intentionally downplaying and concealing the risks of concussions and the role of head injuries in later-life cognitive decline. Negotiations to resolve the matter recently resumed after U.S. District Judge Anita Brody rejected a proposed $765 million settlement deal that had been reached by the parties. Judge Brody strongly believed that this amount would be …

January 21, 2014 Concussions

Flag on the Play – District Court Judge Rejects NFL Concussion Settlement Plan

Last fall the NFL and 4,500 ex-NFL players reached a proposed settlement deal of $765 million to end the ongoing multi-district concussion litigation. In the underlying case, the NFL alumni accused the league of intentionally downplaying the risks of concussions and their correlation to later-life cognitive decline. In addition to the $765 million sum, the NFL was slated to pay out $112 million in additional funds in plaintiffs’ attorney fees.

However, on January 14, 2014, Judge Anita Brody for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania officially …

December 19, 2013 Concussions / NFL

Concerns Raised Over Attorney Compensation in NFL Concussion Litigation Settlement

Around four months ago it was announced that over 4,500 NFL player plaintiffs and the League reached a $765 million settlement resolving the ongoing multi-district concussion litigation in Pennsylvania District Court. In brief, the plaintiffs alleged that the NFL intentionally concealed the long-term risks of head injuries and concussions and their role in later-life cognitive decline.

However, U.S. District Court Judge Anita Brody for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has yet to approve the settlement agreement, partly due to issues concerning attorney compensation. It was …