Coming soon, a ruling in a fight between the NFL and the NFL Players Association over alleged collusion over guaranteed contracts.
It’s been lingering for two years. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the hearing concluded this summer, closing arguments have occurred, and final written legal briefs have been submitted. A decision is expected in December.
Information regarding the case has been scarce because, unlike litigation in open court, the arbitration proceeding is subject to strict confidentiality provisions.
The NFLPA claims that the NFL’s teams colluded on the issue of not giving guaranteed contracts to certain players. Specific players (such as Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson) could receive significant payments, if the arbitrator finds that collusion happened.
The arbitration is happening not as a requirement jammed by the NFL into employment contracts, a take-it-or-leave-it mandate to submit legal claims to a secret, rigged, kangaroo court. Instead, it’s a process negotiated by the league and the union, which gives the players a better chance at winning than the non-union employees of the league and its teams would have.
