NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith had a face-to-face meeting today in New York City. Although it was reportedly more about just advancing the bargaining (meaning figuring out ways to communicate more), it’s at least a step in the right direction. The last couple months have been filled with a lot of angry and aggressive rhetoric between the two sides.
This meeting occurred as current and former NFL players took a trip to Washington, DC to discuss the issue with various lawmakers in Congress. Lamar Smith, chair of the House Judiciary Committee released a statement in regards to the on-going labor strife between the league and its players:
That is a business dispute. The owners and players are both literally and figuratively big boys and do not need Congress to referee every dispute for them.
There is still no word on when there will be a new negotiating session. The two sides haven’t met in an official bargaining session since before Thanksgiving and the clock is ticking towards the March 3 end of the CBA. Much of the negotiations can often happen behind closed doors, but when that happens there is generally more talk of progress than we’re seeing right now.