NFL players gained the advantage in their labor battle with owners Monday when a federal judge in Minnesota ordered the league-imposed lockout lifted.
The NFL indicated it wouldn’t immediately open its doors to players, though. The league said it would appeal the ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson and ask Nelson to grant a stay of the preliminary injunction until the appellate court makes its decision.
But the ruling opens the possibility that offseason activities, including the free-agent signing period, organized offseason conditioning programs and offseason practice, could begin within days.
Such activities were suspended March 11 when the players union disbanded, the owners imposed the lockout and a group of players filed the request for the injunction along with a class-action antitrust lawsuit against the league.
The three-day draft, which begins Thursday night, will go on as scheduled regardless of whether a stay is granted.
Nelson’s ruling provides plenty of leverage for players. If the season begins as scheduled in September, players would be getting paid as usual while their lawsuits make their way through the courts.
“It definitely changes the course of action for both sides,” said Chiefs guard Brian Waters, a member of the players’ executive committee.
“We’re excited, but we’re not overly excited. We were confident this would be the ruling. We have to let the process continue on its course before we know exactly what’s going to happen. This has nothing to do with settlement conversations or negotiations.
“It’s a big victory for us, but what will happen over the next few days will solidify whether it was a real victory or not.”
The Chiefs declined comment, deferring instead to a statement released by the NFL.
“We will promptly seek a stay from Judge Nelson pending an expedited appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals,” the statement read. “We believe that federal law bars injunctions in labor disputes. We are confident that the Eighth Circuit will agree. But we also believe that this dispute will inevitably end with a collective bargaining agreement, which would be in the best interests of players, clubs and fans. We can reach a fair agreement only if we continue negotiations toward that goal.”
In her ruling, Nelson wrote the players “made a strong showing that allowing the League to continue their ‘lockout’ is presently inflicting, and will continue to inflict, irreparable harm upon them, particularly when weighed against the lack of any real injury that would be imposed on the NFL by issuing the preliminary injunction.”
The NFL is free to set rules for free agency if it is forced to begin the offseason while its appeal is being heard. Last year, players required six years of service to become an unrestricted free agent.
Waters said he expected an identical set of rules this year.
“We hope they at worst would install last year’s rules because it’s a set of rules we’ve played under before, and it’s not any worse for the players,” he said. “We think that’s what they’ll do. We don’t think they’ll want to risk any more damages or any more scrutiny by making rules harsher than what they’ve already done. That would be the safest route for them to go.
“There will definitely be some sort of free agency. The timing would probably play out better if it happened after the draft. They’ll probably allow teams to have first shot at (re-signing) their own free agents.”
Waters indicated he wouldn’t advise Chiefs players to report to the Truman Sports Complex practice facility today or until Nelson provides some clarity.
NFL senior vice president of public relations Greg Aiello told the NFL Network, though, that any player who shows up to team facilities will be allowed in and will be treated with respect.
Waters was trying to prepare the players for the possibilities, but was still cautious.
“We’ll wait to see if there’s a stay granted or not before we do anything,” he said. “But I’m definitely telling guys, ‘Get your minds right, get your bodies right, because this thing can turn around very quickly.’ ”
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