Peyton Manning: Lockout slowing rehab from neck surgery

THIBODAUX, La. -- The power and accuracy with which Peyton Manning's passes bowl over bad guys in a recent "Football Cops" TV spoof was nowhere to be seen at the Manning family's annual football camp.

After not making any throws during Friday morning's instructional sessions, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback stressed that he is taking a "very cautious" approach to his comeback from offseason neck surgery because of the NFL lockout.

"That's one thing these owners didn't take into account. You've got a guy rehabbing, and you can't use your training room and can't use your trainer," Manning said. "When you find a good trainer and a good rehab guy that you like, it's a pretty special bond. These guys kind of know your body. So the fact that I haven't had access to my guys and I've been somewhat on my own, I've been extra cautious and extra slow and making sure we don't have any setbacks."

Manning's father, former Saints quarterback Archie Manning, mentioned that Peyton has been throwing at some of the offseason workouts he has organized with Colts teammates in recent months. Peyton Manning declined to get into specifics about his condition, stressing only that he has been "very, very limited as to what I've been able to do and what I've allowed myself to do."

Manning said he usually puts himself through three rehabilitation sessions per day and even got one in Friday morning before camp started.

Lockout or not, this has been another busy offseason for the Mannings, who got together on the campus of Nicholls State for the 16th year of the Manning Passing Academy. On March 21, Giants quarterback Eli Manning became a father for the first time when his wife, Abby, had their first child, a daughter named Ava. Only 10 days later, Peyton and his wife, Ashley, had twins -- a daughter, Mosley, and son, Marshall.

Peyton Manning has avoided speaking publicly about his new experience as a father or the twins and reiterated at the camp that he views those matters as private.

When asked if the lockout had a good side in terms of the time he got to spend with his infant children, Peyton said: "The lockout hasn't been good for anybody, I don't think. The only winners in the lockout have been the lawyers."

Archie Manning beamed when he spoke about seeing his and wife Olivia's number of grandchildren grow from the three they had from eldest son, Cooper, to six this year.

"We doubled our grandchildren, so Olivia and I are very excited," Archie Manning said. "Cooper's three we see every day. ... I'm back going to little league games and everything. But for Eli and Peyton both to have their first children -- Peyton had two at a time -- it's always exciting. I love grandchildren. It's underrated."

In May, Peyton and Eli also filmed a TV spot for DirecTV in Brooklyn, a dark comedy about a tandem of police officers who fight criminals with holstered footballs. It was released last month and as of this week had been viewed more than 792,000 times on YouTube.

Both brothers have organized workouts with teammates in an effort to stay as sharp as possible until football resumes.

Peyton has kept sessions with Colts teammates private, but Eli has allowed media to observe some of his sessions with Giants receivers, as well as walkthroughs with larger numbers of teammates.

"The guys I called came and worked out, and we had some good throwing sessions," Eli said. "We had a week of some full-team (work). ... It was really kind of more for the young guys ... so when we hit training camp we don't have to start from square one."

Although negotiations between owners and players appear to be progressing, it remains unclear whether training camps will open as scheduled in late July.

Peyton Manning, who is one of the players on a class-action antitrust lawsuit intended to end the work stoppage, said he has tired of following the daily negotiations.

"I followed it early, and it just got so exhausting because every day was the day it was supposed to end, and that was like three months ago," he said. "I've gotten to the point now where I've just told (Colts center and players' representative) Jeff Saturday to call me when I can go back to the facility. ... I have no information or insight as to when it's going to end.

"I don't think it's going to be this week, but hopefully it will be real, real soon."

When the lockout does end, Peyton Manning and the Colts will likely get back to contract talks. His contract expired after last season, and the Colts put the exclusive franchise tag on him -- a move that prevents him from negotiating with other teams. If he signs the one-year deal, he would make $23 million next season. Both sides appear more interested in reaching an agreement on a longer-term extension, but Manning does not appear interested in discussing the matter much.

"I really haven't had a whole lot of thought on that," he said. "They'll be a time and a place to address that once the lockout ends, among other questions."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Eighth U.S. Circuit Court rules lockout remains in place

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday threw out a judge's order lifting the NFL lockout, handing the league a victory as players and owners endured a second straight day of difficult negotiations at a Manhattan law firm.

Players could file another injunction According to legal sources, the language from Friday's ruling creates an opportunity for the NFLPA to file another expedited injunction seeking more rights for rookies and free agents not under contract. More ...

The ruling vacated an April 25 decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson that the lockout should be lifted because players were suffering irreparable harm. The appeals court had already put that order on hold and said in its ruling that Nelson ignored federal law in reaching her decision.

"While we respect the court's decision, today's ruling does not change our mutual recognition that this matter must be resolved through negotiation," the league and the NFL Players Association said in a joint statement. "We are committed to our current discussions and reaching a fair agreement that will benefit all parties for years to come, and allow for a full 2011 season."

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith held a conference call at 3 p.m. ET Friday with player reps from all 32 teams to go over the day's court ruling.

The appeals court ruling allows the players' antitrust lawsuit to move forward, but the court did take issue with the NFLPA's decision to decertify on March 11, a move that cleared the way for players to file their still-pending antitrust lawsuit against the league.

"The league and the players' union were parties to a collective bargaining agreement for almost eighteen years prior to March 2011," the appeals court said in its 2-1 decision. "They were engaged in collective bargaining over terms and conditions of employment for approximately two years. ... Then, on a single day, just hours before the CBA's expiration, the union discontinued collective bargaining and disclaimed its status. ... Whatever the effect of the union's disclaimer on the league's immunity from antitrust liability, the labor dispute did not suddenly disappear just because the players elected to pursue the dispute through antitrust litigation rather than collective bargaining."

Judges Steven Colloton and Duane Benton backed the league Friday, just as the two Republican appointees did in two earlier decisions. Judge Kermit Bye, appointed by a Democrat, dissented both times, favoring the players, and he did so again Friday.

Bye had urged settlement of the dispute to avoid a ruling "both sides aren't going to like."

The sides have been meeting for weeks to try to reach a new labor pact, and negotiations were held again Friday in New York.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Lions DT Suh says lockout helping him regain his mental edge

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, fresh off winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, said over the weekend that the biggest benefit he's realizing from the lingering lockout is the mental break.

"I don't think anything is more affected than our minds in the game of football," Suh said in an interview with CBSSports.com, via the Detroit Free Press. "Obviously, we're well-tuned athletes, or we wouldn't be in the position that we are, but mentally, if you're not into it and you can't focus, there's no way you can physically get it done."

Suh addressed a wide range of topics during the interview, including his place on NFL Network's "The Top 100 Players of 2011." An All-Pro as a rookie, Suh placed 51st on the list generated from votes by his peers.

"That ranking isn't going to win me any games," Suh said. "Until that ranking can win me some games, then I'll actually care about it."

Another television topic brought to Suh's attention was the possibility of HBO's "Hard Knocks" featuring the Lions, although the team declined to participate.

"I don't know if we'd be a good fit," Suh said. "I think it would be great for the city to see what we're doing and so forth, but, in my personal opinion, I don't really like the limelight ... especially when I'm in a workout. That's probably one of the most annoying things that you sometimes have to encounter.

"I'm actually kinda glad we (declined the offer), because I'd like to keep nice and quiet, keep everything in-house, then we'll show what we've got on that football when we get out there that first game."

Suh, the second overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft, was more animated when the topic of expectations was broached. He believes he could have accomplished even more than the team-high 10 sacks and 66 tackles he amassed last season.

"I'm definitely surprised that people feel like I could accomplish what I accomplished and even more than that, because I felt I left a lot of things on the field," he said. "People may have preconceived notions of me not being able to do something ... I'm gonna go out there and continue to prove it, not only for myself and my teammates, but to show anything is possible. To show younger guys coming up in the ranks that you don't want to be me, you can always be better than me."

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Leber wonders if he'll return to Vikings after lockout ends

Ben Leber, one of the 10 plaintiffs in the Brady et al v. National Football League et al case, said last week that he believes the lockout will end in time so as not to disrupt the regular-season schedule.

The question for Leber now is, will the unrestricted free-agent linebacker return to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth season? The 10-year veteran told The Star Tribune on Monday he isn't so sure despite he and his wife's desire to remain in the Twin Cities.

"The reality is if they were really, really wanting me back, then maybe something would have been said before the lockout," said Leber, who frequently has been involved in talks between the players and owners during the lockout. "I had a good meeting with Coach (Leslie) Frazier and (vice president of player personnel Rick) Spielman at the end of the year. Each side expressed how much I'd like to be here and finish my career here. I am hopeful and hope that I can come back and be a Viking again. But I'm also a realist, and I've been through this process before. It's not always up to you, and you have to be willing to move on."

Leber, who's considered a leader on the Vikings' defense, has started for the past five seasons since signing with Minnesota after playing his first four seasons for the San Diego Chargers. Whenever the lockout ends, the free-agent period is expected to be brief and frenzied.

"I get a little anxiety about it," said Leber, who held his annual football camp at St. Thomas University in St. Paul last week. "I do wonder how it's all going to play out, and I'm a little worried about how crazy it's going to be. Thinking about it from a family perspective. Having a newborn at home (a 3-month old son) and how is that going to play out? Am I going to be gone traveling maybe team to team looking for a potential place to play?

"Is it going to be one of those things where you sign on the dotted line and you go to training camp the next day and be gone for another month? All those things my wife and I have talked about, and at the end of the conversation, we're just like, 'Well, we don't know. We can't sit here and waste time speculating.' So I guess whatever happens, happens and we'll roll with it when we get there."

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Williams says 'Boys 'losing our key time to jell' during lockout

For wideout Roy Williams, the NFL lockout has provided the eight-year veteran with ample time to rest a battered body, but he sees how it's stolen from the growth of the Dallas Cowboys.

"We're losing our key time to jell as a team," Williams said. "That’s when you come together, in offseason, OTAs, minicamps. We try to make it up with our own workouts, but it’s not the same as it is when the coaches are pushing you."

Still, Williams sees a silver lining to the extended break. 

"I talked to a player who was contemplating retirement, but the lockout has gotten his body back to where it needs to be," Williams told the Odessa American over the weekend. "For us older players, it’s good."

Williams told the American he is focused on helping the Cowboys get back to winning after last year's bitterly disappointing campaign.

"We looked like paper champs. We had the team, we had the talent, but when we played, it didn’t pan out for us. We have to be better next year," Williams said.

Williams, who notched 21 receptions for 306 yards and five touchdowns in his first five games in 2010, had just 16 catches for 224 yards with no scores down the stretch.

With a salary-cap hit close to $9.4 million, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, there is speculation Williams could be done in Dallas shortly after a headline-grabbing trade brought him over from the Detroit Lions in 2008 for first-, third- and sixth-round picks in the 2009 draft.

"When I first got to Dallas and saw all the media -- in Detroit we only had like four or five guys -- in Dallas, it's like 25, 26. It’s 'America's Team,' the most-viewed organization in any sport.

"It’s been tough, because everybody's expecting me to do all these things that I'm very capable of doing when given the opportunity," Williams said. "I'm a role player, and I just try to make the plays whenever they come my way."

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Extra time during lockout to rehab injuries can be beneficial

MARTINSVILLE, N.J. -- Offensive lineman Damien Woody is no Nastia Liukin.

So when the 320-pound Woody tries to balance on a metal strip laying on the artificial turf at the TEST Sports Club workout center, part of his rehab from a ruptured Achilles' tendon, it is, well, a bit awkward.

It's also productive, as are his, uh, leaps on a mini-trampoline, and his squats while holding weights in each hand, his back pushing against a huge, round ball.

And when New York Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery imitates the crane pose from "The Karate Kid" to enhance his balance and rotational skills? Simply part of his regimen as he heals from back surgery.

Woody, a free-agent tackle who was hurt in the Jets' playoff victory at Indianapolis in January, and Cotchery are among dozens of NFL players fighting back from major injuries on their own because of the league's labor lockout. Some, such at Colts safety Chip Vaughn, can have contact with the team's doctor because that's who performed his left ankle operation.

Others, including New Orleans Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb, went back to their college roots for his rehab.

They all would be recovering and working at their team's facilities had there been no lockout, which is in its fourth month. And each of them normally would be fighting the itch to rush back and join their teammates for minicamps and the like.

This year, as the labor impasse continues, these players might be benefiting from the work stoppage.

"This has given a lot of guys time to heal and to get rid of those nagging little injuries, too," Cotchery said after more than an hour's worth of exercises, during which he displays the intense concentration any NFL wideout must have. "You can go at your own pace, get your rest, and that has benefited a lot of guys."

"The Top 100: Players of 2011" countdown continues on NFL Network on Sunday, June 19 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show after players Nos. 21-30 are revealed.

Added Woody, with a tired smile, his T-shirt soaked with sweat: "Even if there were an offseason program now, I'd be doing rehab. I don't have to worry about the football side at all, just focus on getting 100 percent, and I'm getting closer. It's an opportunity to freshen up all the other aches and pains you get from playing 12 seasons in the NFL. So, yeah, in a way it's perfect timing to have the lockout."

Woody was released by the Jets on March 1, but he hopes to be back with them once he is fully recovered from what he calls "the most major injury of my career." He intends on playing somewhere in 2011, if there's a season.

So he spends his mornings at TEST, along with Cotchery; Jets star linebacker Bart Scott; defensive tackle Barry Cofield, a former Giant who is a free agent; and several other NFL players. Brian Martin, CEO of the facility and another in Florida, has several former players on his staff, plus a rehabilitating player in Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington.

"We're very careful to make sure we are in no way competing with what the teams do or want their players doing," Martin says. "But they know the players are getting intensive personal care and rehab work here from a highly trained group of professionals. Our only purpose is to help the players who are recovering from injuries to get well, or to keep the other players who come here, like Bart, in the best of shape."

Players who were injured last season have their recoveries paid for by their teams under workman's compensation plans. Vaughn, who is rehabbing in South Florida at Bommarito Performance Systems, is putting in more physical work than in other offseasons. That work simply doesn't involve playbooks and pass defense, because those aspects of his game depend on contact with the team -- which he can't have.

He starts his workout routine at 7:30 a.m. with two hours of rehab on both his ankle and left shoulder, which also was operated on in the offseason. Then comes stretching for an hour or more, followed by lifting weights.

He also does Pilates twice a week.

"If I was with the team, I'd be rehabbing still, but mixed in with meetings and practices," he said. "As far as team stuff goes, there isn't any of that now.

"This whole process is very delicate. I don't want to come back to the team in worse shape or with something lingering from last season to now. You don't want the team doubting how you were working. I can't give the Colts any reason to think I have not been busting my butt."

Vaughn also has been aided by garments made by Evidence Based Apparel that he might not have discovered without the extra recovery time the lockout has provided. He said his shoulders are stronger than ever, and he's been plagued by shoulder issues since his freshman year at Wake Forest. Such EBA jackets and shirts also have been worn by Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Brian Urlacher and Troy Polamalu.

"The straps are positioned to help correct the posture," he said. "At first, I said, 'What the heck is that?' But they say in tests, if your posture is where it needs to be, your body produces at maximum output.

"My jumps would go higher and higher, and I knew this can't just be my rehab. I am starting to use every muscle in my back and shoulder and deltoids. The shirt helps you keep the kind of posture you are supposed to have."

There's supposed to be football right around now, too, from minicamps to optional workouts. Without that structure, players have had to improvise to get their own regimen in place.

"This lockout is nasty business," said Stinchcomb, coming off left knee surgery. "It poses each guy a little different set of issues and problems.

"The University of Georgia was quick to welcome not only me, but there were other former Georgia players in the training room at UGA. So obviously there was a lot of guys that returned to their college campus to get the rehab ... and you're just trying to make the best of it all the way around."

Cotchery is one of the NFL's most graceful players, yet he struggles with some of the movements Martin and his staff ask him to do. He admits the most difficult are those designed to enhance his balance and stabilization, and he attacks them as if he was going after a Mark Sanchez pass in traffic.

At times, he gets frustrated. A botched exercise is no different to Cotchery on this June day than a drop in November.

"If you don't hit the rep right, you want to do it over and over," he says. "If I feel like I conquered that exercise, it makes me feel better when I come in the next day.

"There's no football, so I want to come in the next day ready to give my rehab everything I can give it."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Dolphins RB Clay working odd jobs to pay bills during lockout

Charles Clay grew up dreaming about getting drafted by an NFL team then living the good life.

Clay achieved the first half of that dream when the Miami Dolphins selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft in April. The "living the good life" part, however? Not even close.

With the NFL work stoppage past the three-month mark and no finish line in sight, Clay -- like other rookies -- lives in financial limbo.

To pay his bills, Clay has taken up day labor type work with a company called LPD, which has him cutting grass at oil wells and doing other various odd jobs, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“It’s hard times right now,” said Clay, who starred collegiately at Tulsa. ”I’m working little small jobs and things to get money. Not getting an income right now is tough, especially when I’m trying to have a facility to workout in, and have to pay for things like [trainers].

Clay concedes the pay for his side work is minimal, but it's better than the flat-broke alternative.

“It’s tough, but at the same time you’ve got to get by somehow,” said Clay. “I’m pretty sure there are other guys doing the same thing. Nobody is getting any kind of income. You have to get money some kind of way.”

And in a reality that puts Clay's situation in perspective, he admits he hasn't taken part in the Dolphins' players-only workouts in Florida because he can't afford the trip.

”At one point I actually thought about going down there, but when you go down there and you have no source of income I’d just be down there," he said. "You also take risks of being injured."

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Frazier: Vikings will be prepared once the lockout ends

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. -- As one of a handful of clubs with new coaches and a new offense to install, the Minnesota Vikings stand to lose plenty from the lingering lockout.

The labor impasse has taken away valuable offseason development time.

Oh, and they have a quarterback to break in, too, whether it's first-round draft pick Christian Ponder or a veteran they could sign once the owners and players forge an agreement to allow free agency to begin.

Coach Leslie Frazier won't buy this behind-the-eight-ball theory for his Vikings. Extra pressure to catch up whenever the work stoppage ends is merely perceived, Frazier insisted.

"You look forward to bringing everybody together and kind of shaping and molding your team and creating the culture that you want on your team, and when that time comes we'll be able to get that done," Frazier said, adding: "Not a real mystery as to how our team would look. The fortunate thing for me is I'm familiar with a lot of our roster, and that helps me a lot."

Frazier spoke Wednesday at Rush Creek Golf Club before the team's annual charity golf event to benefit the Vikings Children's Fund.

"Our organization has done a lot of right things in my mind, as far as handling this lockout in the right way and preparing us for some of the things that are going to come," Frazier said. "We talked through some things yesterday with our ownership and just went through some of the different scenarios. So I feel confident that when the time comes -- because of the leadership that we have on our offense, our defense, our special teams, our staff -- that we'll be ready to go."

Put in charge when Brad Childress was fired last November, and coaching the Vikings for the final six games of that disappointing and tumultuous 2010 season, Frazier had a leg up on the job when he was hired as the coach in January.

Ponder has much to learn about his receivers, and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave needs time to teach the plays.

"We're at a serious disadvantage having a new quarterback and a new offense without practice and coaching," wide receiver Greg Camarillo said last week from Bradenton, Fla., where he worked out with Ponder and a small group of Vikings teammates.

All they can do is be as ready as possible.

"That's our job. If you're not ready for it, I don't feel bad for you," defensive end Brian Robison said recently.

Robison has been doing mixed martial arts workouts near his home in Texas.

"Hopefully everybody is busting their butt to get there, and we're able to hit the ground running when the time comes," he said.

Frazier said the organization is "still discussing" a drop-dead date for committing to or canceling training camp at Minnesota State University in Mankato if the lockout remains in place. School starts there Aug. 22, so a delayed out-of-town camp is unlikely.

The other contingency plans pertain to free agency, where the Vikings will turn for help at several positions, possibly including quarterback.

One of the biggest unknowns is exactly which players will be on the market, given the uncertainty about eligibility requirements -- could be four years, could be six of experience -- in the collective bargaining agreement.

"Whether or not it's a six-year plan or a five-year plan and even guys that are at the end of four, we have a list and we've identified the guys that we think fit what we're looking for if we choose to go that route," Frazier said. "We haven't made a decision that we're going to go with a veteran quarterback, but we have an idea, based on the list we've put together, if we went that route who we'd target."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Colts' Freeney waits patiently for end of NFL's lockout

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dwight Freeney felt as if he were back at training camp Wednesday.

He posed for pictures, spoke to children and waved to the fans. Hey, it was certainly hot enough to feel like August, and the Colts' Pro Bowl defensive end is optimistic he'll be doing all this again in less than two months at Anderson University.

Contrary to the conventional wisdom, Freeney believes the NFL's players and owners will reach a new collective bargaining agreement in time for training camps to start as scheduled in late July or early August.

"I think so," he said. "I mean, why not? We have the best game in the world."

Freeney said he is one of many Colts participating in player-organized workouts at an undisclosed location in the Indy area.

"We're doing a little bit," he said with a smile. "It's hard to get everything organized, but we've got some small organized groups getting things done."

He didn't elaborate.

Players have been busy doing other things, too.

Punter Pat McAfee spent part of this week filling in as a radio talk-show host and attending draft workouts staged by the NBA's Indiana Pacers.

Freeney is putting on a two-day camp for children ages 7 to 14 at North Central High School on the city's north side.

On Thursday, defensive end Robert Mathis and Pacers center Roy Hibbert will organize a celebrity softball game to raise money for the Indiana Wish Fund, and players from the Colts, including Freeney, and Pacers are expected to attend.

But it's not just players working in this uncertain world. Team officials also are trying to finalize training-camp plans.

The Colts last year moved training camp back to Anderson University, a Division III school about 45 miles northeast of the city, after spending 11 years in Terre Haute, Ind., near the Illinois border.

Team owner Jim Irsay has said the team will return to Anderson -- if camp starts on time. Anderson officials say the school will be ready for whatever happens, and Colts general manager Chris Polian told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Colts have not established a deadline for making their decision.

"At this juncture, we have a little bit of a calendar to work with," Polian said. "Hopefully, we'll go back to business as usual on the regular calendar. But until we know the rules and the landscape, it's hard to say we're leaning one way or the other. The biggest thing is to be flexible and prepared for all situations."

Polian, whose father was the architect of the Colts' dynamic run over the last decade, is closely monitoring the progress of the talks.

Freeney is not.

"My thought is 'Let me know when we get it done,'" Freeney said. "We have to come to an agreement, and it does no good to stress myself out by praying or thinking about it. So just let me know when it's done."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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NFL, players state lockout cases; court to rule in 'due course'

ST. LOUIS -- Lawyers for the NFL and its players met before a three-judge panel Friday at the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, with the judges considering the league's appeal of an injunction lifting the nearly three-month lockout.

Kermit Bye, the presiding judge in the hearing -- and the lone dissenter in the appeals court's previous decisions to stay U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson Nelson's April 25 ruling -- said after the 90-minute hearing that the judges would rule "in due course."

Bye added that the panel "wouldn't be all that hurt if you go out and settle that case" and warned the decision will be one that neither party likes. That decision likely will come in 2 to 6 weeks.

Paul Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general representing the league, opened oral arguments by attacking the validity of the NFL Players Association's March 11 decertification. He maintained that, because of the non-statutory labor exemption, the league should have the right to lock out its players for at least one year. He also said the fact that this is the second time the NFLPA has decertified "ought to be a problem for them."

Goodell: Recent talks 'a positive sign' NFL Commissioner
Roger Goodell visited troops in North Carolina instead of judges in Missouri on Friday, but he expressed optimism that a labor deal can be reached. More...

If the union's decertification is ruled invalid, the Brady et al antitrust lawsuit against the NFL would disintegrate and cost the players almost all leverage they have in the labor fight.

Players counsel Ted Olson, Clement's predecessor as U.S. solicitor general, defended the union's decertification by emphasizing it only recertified in 1993 at the league's request.

Judges Steven Colloton and William Duane Benton repeatedly referenced the Norris-LaGuardia Act, which bars injunctions in cases arising from a labor dispute, in asking Olson why the law wouldn't make Nelson's judgment wrong.

Olson responded: "The union is not in existence anymore. The players cannot engage in collective bargaining because it's against the law." Olson also defended the validity of the Brady suit by saying the league had been found in violation of antitrust law "15 times."

Friday's hearing followed three days of clandestine talks in suburban Chicago between the league and players, who met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith in attendance, but without lawyers.

Clement was asked if those negotiations could hurt the validity of the union's decertification.

"I think what that underscores is that the union has not disappeared forever," Clement said. "Obviously, everyone can make their own judgment, but the problem with the argument on the other side is it assumes that the union is gone forever. I don't think many people who are a student of this game or a student of this industry really believe that's a fact."

Olson contended that the players' actions only were prompted by those of the owners, going back to their 2008 decision to opt out of the collective bargaining agreement that expired in March.

"We don't have much to say, other than to remind everybody that the National Football League cancelled the collective bargaining agreement that they negotiated and entered into," Olson said. "They prematurely and unilaterally cancelled the collective bargaining agreement. And then they unilaterally called a lockout, stopping football in its tracks. The players didn't do that. The National Football League did that."

Goodell was in Fort Bragg, N.C., visiting troops during the hearing, and a league spokesman tweeted that the commissioner isn't a lawyer and "wouldn't have added much to the legal proceedings." NFL general counsel Jeff Pash also didn't attend.

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No NFL team owners were scheduled to be there, but the New York Jets' Woody Johnson came on his own accord.

Conversely, the contingent of active and retired players was over 20 deep. The active players included Jon Beason, Jordan Black, Matt Bryant, Tyson Clabo, Craig Dahl, Adam Goldberg, Cullen Jenkins, Brandon Moore, Jon McGraw, Rudy Niswanger, Chester Pitts, Tony Richardson, Brian Robison, Orlando Scandrick, Jake Scott, (Carolina's) Steve Smith, Andy Studebaker, Osi Umenyiora and Brian Waters.

"I think it was a great turnout because it shows where our jobs are right now, not caused by the players, but caused by the owners," said Smith, the Panthers' wide receiver. "It was important to them, important to myself, important to other players who couldn't be here that have a responsibility as a player rep.

"Maybe a guy couldn't come because his wife just had a baby, or his wife was sick, and we'll relay the message and the information that we observed. That's our responsibility and our job as reps, and also our job as teammates to inform and give each other's input on what's going on."

Spokesmen for both parties declined to comment on the negotiations earlier in the week, citing a court-ordered confidentiality agreement, and a federal magistrate canceled scheduled mediation sessions for next week in Minneapolis because of the "confidential settlement negotiations."

But George Atallah of the NFLPA was adamant that the ongoing legal battle shouldn't stop the parties from attempting to find a long-term solution, which was the aim of the Chicago summit.

"Anybody that believed with litigation or a settlement, that there was a choice between the two, those people are wrong," Atallah said. "We're here today to try and lift the lockout so players can play football. At the same time, that doesn't mean the settlement negotiations couldn't continue. You saw that over the past couple days."

The NFL, in defending its right to lock out the players, maintained that any deal has to happen through face-to-face negotiation, not litigation.

"What we tried to make clear in there is that we think the lockout is actually the best way to get players back on the field," Clement said. "And you might say, 'Why do you think that?' We think that because that's what all the labor laws say, the way you get labor peace is you allow the sides to use the tools that labor laws give them. That means employees get the right to strike and, in certain situation, employers get to lock people out.

"There are other tools available to both sides. The idea is using those tools will accomplish labor peace."

At the very least, the league and players wanted to show the seriousness of their respective approaches Friday.

"Really, our only purpose here today was to show it's important to us, and to represent our players and to show both the court and the public that it's important to us," said Goldberg, the St. Louis Rams' offensive tackle. "We want to get back to work. We want to play. We want to get back to work doing what it is we're trained to do, to put out a great product for you guys on Sundays."

Now the parties wait for the appeals court's ruling, with not much time to lose. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said last week that he believed some decisions on opening training camps in late July needed to be made by July 4.

"We can't just go from where we are now and jump into games," free-agent offensive tackle Damien Woody, who last played for the New York Jets, told The Associated Press. "There has to at least be an abbreviated training camp to get us somewhat prepared for the season. If not, there are going to be a lot of injuries. ... Training camp usually starts in late July, and time is running out because it's already June. I think we have to get a deal done by late July at the latest."

Free-agent linebacker Ben Leber, one of 10 plaintiffs in the antitrust suit against the league, said the players haven't discussed a specific drop-dead date for reaching an agreement.

"Both sides have a day, whether they want to make it public or not," said Leber, who played for the Minnesota Vikings last season. "The biggest challenge is going to lie with whose day is going to come up first."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sharper: Retirement just one option if lockout cuts into season

METAIRIE, La. -- Even as Darren Sharper discussed how fresh he feels, and how ready he is to extend his highlight-filled NFL career to a 15th season, he allowed himself to utter the word "retirement."

The uncertainty surrounding the NFL lockout has left the five-time Pro Bowl safety considering some vastly different scenarios for this fall.

If the lockout wipes out the season, it could hasten the retirement of a player whose 63 career interceptions make him -- at least for now -- the NFL's active leader in that category.

Yet, if it merely shortens the season, or leads to abbreviated training camps, that could give Sharper an edge in his effort to sign a third free-agent contract in three seasons.

"If there's no football in the fall, I'll have to start looking at other options -- maybe some television, or whatever," said Sharper, 35. "But right now, my goal and my focus is playing football, and that's why I'm working out now to be ready for the season ... if it starts."

Although Sharper remains open to playing anywhere, he said his preference would be to stay in New Orleans, where he has been training with Saints players who gathered for workouts organized by quarterback Drew Brees at Tulane last month.

Sharper also is continuing his charity work in New Orleans, announcing Wednesday that he'll host an event July 23 at a suburban minor-league baseball stadium to benefit his foundation for children, as well as the American Cancer Society and a local blood bank.

Saints players and local celebrities are lined up to participate in a home run derby -- with $10,000 going to a charity chosen by the winner -- and a softball game, along with a tailgate-style cook-off and other festivities.

Sharper scheduled the event close to the time the Saints normally would report for training camp at their suburban New Orleans headquarters. Yet, as doubts grow concerning if camps will start on time, Sharper is trying to see the bright side.

A delay would give coaches less time to evaluate or develop young talent, and render more valuable the experience of veterans such as Sharper.

"It's going to benefit older guys that have played the game and know how to play the game," Sharper said. "The thing that I'm looking forward to is, if it gets worked out and it's only a couple weeks of teams being able to prepare, especially offenses being able to prepare and get on timing, I think I'm going to have a great opportunity to take advantage of a lot of those missed, off-timed passes.

"So I'm a little bit excited to see how it's going to work out."

Sharper has spent his past two seasons in New Orleans, each time on a one-year contract. In 2009, he intercepted nine passes, returning three for scores, was named All-Pro and helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl. Last season, he struggled after offseason microfracture surgery on his left knee, which led the Saints to place him on the physically unable to perform list to open the season.

After sitting out the first six games, Sharper came back to play in eight, starting only once, and didn't have any interceptions for just the second time in his 14 seasons.

Sharper didn't want his career to end that way, and he said he feels far more healthy now.

"I've never dealt with a season as frustrating as the past year was, not only not getting back to the Super Bowl and having a chance to repeat, but just not being healthy all year long, nagging injuries, not being able to play like myself," Sharper said. "If I'm going to go out and it's going to be my last year, I want to make sure I go out and leave a mark that year and play at the level that I've played throughout my career. I don't want to be remembered as a guy that hobbled his way out of the league. So that's a little bit of motivation that I have right now."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Jets coach Ryan takes tips from Gibbs on navigating lockout

As New York Jets coach Rex Ryan endures a lockout that's infringing on his ability to work toward backing up his "guarantee" of a Super Bowl title next season, he's turning to the master of work-stoppage success.

"I called Joe Gibbs," Ryan told a small group of prospective Jets business partners Wednesday night at The Core Club in Manhattan, according to the team's official website. "When they went through some work stoppages, the last two times the Washington Redskins won two Super Bowls. So I figured that would be a good guy to call."

Gibbs led the Redskins to the Super Bowl title following a strike-shortened 1982 season, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. Five years later, the Redskins won Super Bowl XXII, routing the Denver Broncos 42-10 after a 24-day players' strike trimmed the regular season to 15 games, three of them with replacement players.

Gibbs' Redskins went 3-0 with the replacements en route to an 11-4 finish.

Ryan says he plans to meet in the next few days with Gibbs, who guided the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles and four NFC championships in 16 seasons as the team's head coach, and that he's already absorbing some of the Hall of Famer's advice.

"He said take this time to get better," Ryan said. "Take time to gain an advantage on your opponents and whatever you think that is. He gave me some ideas, and I followed them to a T."

Ryan says that to improve his and his staff's knowledge base he's been "bringing in all kinds of guys to come in here and speak to us and pick their brains," including former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore, legendary running backs coach Bobby Jackson, and Dan Reeves, the former head coach of the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

Moore, whose Colts offense had great success inside the 20, is working with the Jets on red-zone efficiency, which Ryan called "the biggest area we have to improve."

"Over the last six-year period, the Indianapolis Colts have been by far and away the most efficient offense in the red zone," Ryan said. "And this man has been the coach. It was interesting picking his brain. He’s really helping us."

Ryan's boast in February that the Jets will win the Super Bowl next season has the support of his players. And of his owner, too.

"It’s hard to lead people if you don’t tell them where you’re going," said Woody Johnson, who also appeared at the event. "If you tell people, 'I'm coming in 15th. Are you with me?' No, I’m not with you. I’m not going to sign on."

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Unhappy Titans fans pepper Goodell on lockout, other issues

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the lockout to some unhappy Tennessee Titans fans and said the league doesn't have a "drop-dead date" to end the impasse with the players and play the 2011 season.

"We're going to work to try to get this done and try to avoid having lost anything more of the NFL than we've already lost," Goodell said.

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Goodell held his latest conference call with season ticket-holders Thursday, spending about 36 minutes on the telephone with Titans fans. They asked Goodell if the 2011 season will be wiped out and about an 18-game schedule, having a team in Los Angeles and how ticket prices are set.

Most of the fans the commissioner heard from weren't happy about the situation.

Lee from Joelton wanted to know why NFL owners won't open their books to the players. John from Lafayette asked how far apart owners and players really are on a collective bargaining agreement. Phillip from Nashville didn't have a question but warned the commissioner that upset fans will take out their anger on the NFL.

"Get everybody to sit down and stay until they work out some agreement and get this thing behind them before the NFL loses all credibility," said Phillip, who shares eight season tickets with his son.

William from San Ramon, Calif., flies to Nashville for three games per season, and he reminded Goodell of Major League Baseball's struggles to regain fans after a strike wiped out the 1994 World Series.

"It's like Rome's a great empire, so's the NFL," William said. "But if it's not supported by the fans, it won't be a great empire."

Goodell calmly answered each question, defending the lockout as a tool to force negotiations. He said he understands fans' frustration and anger directed at the NFL.

"I think all of us will bear the responsibility for it if we're not able to come up with solutions," Goodell said.

The commissioner also defended owners not opening the books, saying that won't solve the issue. Goodell said players have the league's revenue "down to a penny" and know costs are rising faster than revenues. He said NFL economics have dramatically changed over the last 10 to 15 years.

"These are serious issues that need to be addressed, and this is the time to do it and not kick the can down the street here," Goodell said. "The owners have been responsive to putting a fair proposal on the table. We now need the players to engage rather than litigate and to get back to trying to solve the problems, which as you point out are at the core economic issues."

Goodell also said the NFL intends to play the full season. But he noted the league had to cancel its annual rookie symposium in June, with the start of training camps dangerously close.

"We don't have a drop-dead date," Goodell said.

The commissioner said negotiations, not lawsuits, will settle this labor dispute.

"There are obviously issues that we disagree on, but there are certainly solutions to those disagreements," Goodell said. "I think it's going to come down to everyone realizing we're better off working together to find solutions than fighting. That's in the best interest of growing the game and will be in the best interest of all parties going forward."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Players appeal for end to NFL lockout in late-night court filing

MINNEAPOLIS -- Players who sued the NFL for alleged antitrust violations liken the league to a "cartel" in their latest court filing, again urging an appeals court to lift the lockout.

In arguments filed in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, just minutes before Friday's midnight deadline, attorneys for the players reiterated their argument that the NFL has violated antitrust laws. They also argued the lockout has imposed immediate, career-ending threatening harm on players and could deprive the public of the 2011 NFL season.

Carucci: Lockout hits training camps

"The players face immediate, continuing, severe irreparable injury from unlawful conduct orchestrated to force them to re-unionize against their will and make immense financial concessions," the players' attorneys wrote. "The NFL, by contrast, claims only a temporary loss of leverage by members of a cartel that is no longer entitled to any exemption from the antitrust laws."

The longer the fight over how to divvy up $9 billion in annual revenue drags on, the closer the league and players come to missing games. The first preseason game is scheduled for Aug. 7, and the regular-season opener between the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers is set for Sept. 8.

In Friday's filing, the players reiterated that the decision to dissolve their union was their lawful right, and the absence of a collective bargaining agreement shouldn't stop the NFL's ability to "conduct professional football." And, the players argued, the harm they would suffer isn't comparable to the league's argument that it would suffer an "intangible blow to their 'negotiating position' and 'leverage.' "

"The overwhelming inequity in that imbalance is patently obvious," the players' attorneys wrote.

The players have argued all along that their careers are being harmed by the work stoppage -- they can't work out, or sign contracts with any of the 32 teams while the lockout persists. A federal judge in Minnesota agreed and lifted the lockout April 25, but the league appealed.

The appeals court reversed U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson's decision just four days later. And on Monday, the appellate court ruled the lockout can stay in place until a full appeal is heard on whether it is legal. That hearing is set for June 3.

The players received some support Friday from other professional players and fans. The unions for baseball, basketball and hockey players filed a legal brief saying the lockout should be lifted because athletes' careers are short, and the loss of even part of a season causes personal and professional injuries for which they can't be compensated.

In their filing, the unions for Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League wrote, "there is no off-season in professional sports -- only the portion of the work year during which no games are played." The unions said that part of the year brings opportunities -- such as the option to change cities, teams or the trajectory of one's career.

Also Friday, a nonprofit group that has been fighting sport work stoppages said the lockout should be lifted. The Sports Fans Coalition, which says it gives fans a voice on public policy issues and fights for fan access to games, said in a legal brief that the lockout isn't in the best interest of fans, who pay billions of dollars to see their teams perform.

The players' attorneys argued: "The NFL does not suffer irreparable harm from operating the game of football -- especially at a profit."

"Here, there is no question that the interest of the public -- the fans, stadium workers, parking lot attendants, sports bars and restaurants, and local governments -- favors an injunction to allow football to proceed on whatever lawful terms the NFL Defendants collectively impose," the players' attorneys wrote.

The group of players suing the league -- including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- have said the lockout is inflicting irreparable harm on their brief playing careers by preventing them from working out at team headquarters, holding full practices with teammates and coaches and jeopardizing games.

Their attorneys wrote that suggesting monetary damages, even triple damages, would fully redress the harm to players "ignores the reality of the game."

The NFL has argued in its appeal that lifting the labor lockout without a new contract in place would allow better-off teams to sign the best players, tipping the NFL's competitive balance and damaging the league.

The league also said that lifting the lockout with no labor deal in place would cause chaos, with teams trying to make decisions on signing free agents and making trades under a set of rules that could change drastically under a new agreement.

The league says the union's move to decertify after the initial bargaining talks broke down is a sham; that Nelson doesn't have the jurisdiction to lift the lockout; and that she should have waited for a decision from the National Labor Relations Board before issuing that ruling.

The players disagree with all those points.

They argued that by decertifying, every player gave up many rights, including having union representation at grievances, and the right to collectively bargain and strike. Now, players seek the protections of federal antitrust laws that limit monopolies.

The players also have a federal antitrust lawsuit against the league pending before Nelson. And attorneys for the players filed documents in U.S. District Court on Friday, opposing a league request for more time to respond to the claim. The league has argued that it shouldn't have to respond to the lawsuit until the appeal over the lockout is resolved.

But the players say the lawsuit will go forward whether or not the lockout is lifted and that the NFL's request for an extension is "yet another deliberate step in their campaign to crush the players by extending the lockout for as long as they can."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Lockout affects new Titans coaches' preparation for season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The NFL lockout makes it even more difficult for new coaches. They can't work with the players they have on their roster, and there's no wooing of free agents who could fill gaping holes.

So the Tennessee Titans, who went through the latest coaching change, are doing all they can -- watching film and preparing for the April 28-30 NFL draft.

Coach Mike Munchak said it's strange not being around the players as part of an offseason program. But he does know the players well from his 14 seasons with the franchise, even if he can't talk to them now.

"At least I don't have that learning curve," said Munchak, who was promoted from offensive line coach. "I've watched a lot more defensive tape than I've ever watched."

But both of his coordinators are new to Tennessee, with Chris Palmer busy learning the offense and Jerry Gray studying up on his defenders for a team that's trying to bounce back from a 6-10 season.

Gray believes the coaches understand the process they're going through with the lockout.

"So we're getting everything from film because we can't talk to them (the players)," Gray said. "The film is kind of getting us the direction of what we think we have to draft. I think that's really the good thing."

The Titans are deep into their pre-draft visits with players who could fill big needs at either quarterback or on defense. They pick No. 8 overall and must replace Vince Young, whom they plan release or trade once a labor deal is reached. Rusty Smith, a rookie in 2010, is the only quarterback currently on the roster.

A defensive tackle also could be attractive to the Titans, who want to improve their run defense.

Over the past week, quarterbacks such as Auburn's Cam Newton, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick and Florida State's Christian Ponder visited the Titans. The team also met with defensive tackles Nick Fairley of Auburn, Marcell Dareus of Alabama and end Da'Quan Bowers of Clemson.

LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson also visited Nashville, even though the Titans have their starting cornerbacks, Cortland Finnegan and Alterraun Verner, under contract for 2011. But Munchak recently noted the value that shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis provides for the New York Jets.

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"The value of someone like him, who can come in and be that dominant that quickly," Munchak said of Peterson. "Yeah, he's one of those rare corners who can come in and be a very, very high pick."

Gray said the Titans are looking at all areas in the draft. They have nine draft picks after receiving two compensatory selections last month for the free-agent losses of tight end Alge Crumpler (to the New England Patriots) and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (to the Detroit Lions).

Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin was in Tennessee on a one-year deal, but the Titans aren't sure which of their other players will wind up free agents. That group could include linebacker Stephen Tulloch, defensive end Jacob Ford and left guard Leroy Harris.

"So we're kind of looking at all the areas to see where we could get better overall," Gray said. "You want to be cognizant of who your free-agent guys are because those guys are still there, too. They can't just up and leave, so they're kind of in limbo, and that helps us because it's a lot like they're not there and they are."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Bengals' Whitworth worried lockout will affect quality of NFL

The majority of NFL players with whom I've spoken say they have yet to reach the critical point for missed offseason workouts with their teams.

Late April and May are, they say, the time when the loss of minicamps and other organized team activity because of the lockout would be the most harmful to preparation for the season. Generally speaking, most players spend March and the early part of April working out on their own, usually somewhere other than where their team is based.

Cardinals players are excited about new defensive coordinator Ray Horton, but Albert Breer writes they're frustrated that they can't work with him during the lockout. More...

But in light of comments that Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth made to USA Today on Friday, you have to wonder just how many players have bothered to maintain such a routine. The prospect of the labor dispute possibly dragging into late summer, Whitworth pointed out, might very well have become an obvious disincentive that could have a negative impact on the quality of play whenever the season begins.

"Guys are human beings," Whitworth said. "And if you tell guys, 'It doesn't look like you're doing anything until July or August,' guys will lose a lot of incentive to train and to get better. You will get a lot of guys who will say, 'We're not even going to play. I'm not going to work hard all the time.' "

It's hard to argue with his logic. Whitworth not only is a bright and thoughtful guy, he knows how his fellow players think. He knows they need a carrot, which is the goal of staying in the best possible physical condition for training camp, which, for most teams, open in late July and early August. Additionally, players who work out minus team supervision during the lockout do so at their own risk.

But it should be pointed out that Whitworth is the Bengals' NFL Players Association representative. It certainly would make sense for him to do his part to give owners yet another reason to at least be uncomfortable about a prolonged lockout while also trying to give the public more cause to oppose the idea of teams shutting down football business.

Therefore, one is advised to keep that in mind when it comes to this ominous warning from Whitworth: "You're going to ruin the chance for quality football. There will be more injuries and things that affect the game. Period."

Follow Vic Carucci on Twitter @viccarucci.

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Union head Smith: NFL owners gearing up for lockout in 2011

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith sees new signs that league owners are preparing for a football-free 2011.

With support from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Smith asked fans to take the players' side.

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Speaking at a tailgate-style fan luncheon a few blocks from Lambeau Field on Tuesday, Smith referred to a recent Sports Business Journal report that said the NFL is requiring banks that lend money to its teams to extend grace periods for loan defaults through the end of the 2011 season in the event of a lockout.

"That to me is a step where the owners are protecting themselves in the event that there is no season," Smith said.

Smith said the move, along with provisions in television deals to provide for some payments even if there is a lockout, are evidence that owners are planning for the possibility that there won't be a season in 2011.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello noted that the players are going through the process of approving the potential decertification of their union, a move that could be seen as preparing for protracted negotiations.

"There are many preparations taking place, including the union preparing to decertify and go out of business," Aiello said. "Our focus is on negotiating a new agreement with the union. The longer it goes, the tougher it will be, and we are not sure if this union plans on continuing to be a union."

Rodgers, the Packers' newly elected player representative to the union, asked the crowd of about 300 fans for their support.

"We're going to keep you guys daily on our minds and we realize how much this means, and affects not only us but this community," Rodgers said. "We thank you for your support, and stand with us. It's going to be a tough fight, but we're trusting that in the end everything's going to turn out to way it's supposed to."

In a meeting Monday, Packers players voted to become the latest NFL team to give the union approval to decertify in the event of a lockout. Decertification would give players the right to sue the NFL under antitrust laws if there is a lockout, a threat that could strengthen the players' position in collective bargaining negotiations.

Smith said lawsuits have played an important role in past gains by the players, referencing late Packers icon Reggie White's role in the implementation of today's free-agency system.

"Look, the fact is most of our fans who love this game right now believe mistakenly that free agency was a gift to the players," Smith said. "That's not true. Reggie White and Freeman McNeil put their careers on the line and had to sue for free agency."

But Smith wouldn't say whether the union or individual players currently are considering a new lawsuit or are simply relying on the threat of legal action to force owners to make concessions in negotiations.

"The only thing that we will do is continue to protect our interest," Smith said.

Smith said players have always been willing to keep playing under an extension of the existing CBA, and he reiterated complaints that owners refuse to open their financial records. As the NFL's only publicly owned franchise, the Packers are the only team that makes it financial information public.

The Packers posted an operating profit of approximately $9.8 million in the fiscal year that ended March 31, down from $20.1 million the previous year. Taking into account investment losses that were less severe, the team reported net income of approximately $5.2 million, up from $4 million.

"Show us the financial data that says that the National Football League is in some sort of economic (hardship)," Smith said. "And so far all we've heard back is from their lead negotiator, who said that's none of our business."

Smith took a positive tone when he spoke about his good working relationship with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, but he wasn't willing to estimate how likely it was that a new deal could come together in the near future.

"It seems to me that the greatest gift we could possibly give is a Christmas gift where we sign a new deal and tell people that football for our fans is not only going to continue, but the businesses that rely on football and the jobs that this game generates are going to be secure," Smith said.

For more NFL labor news, visit http://NFLLabor.com

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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