Lengthy NFL labor talks held
After nearly four hours of meetings between players union representatives and members of the NFL's negotiating committee Tuesday in Indianapolis, many questions remained. Mainly, what's next?
They got together to hash out their differences in a new labor agreement the owners approved last week.
Both sides left the hotel without comment, though NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy issued a statement saying: “The meeting has just concluded and out of respect for the process, we're not going to have any further comment at this time. “
The NFL Players Association's executive committee voted, 6-5, against the contract on Friday, and the 32 player reps postponed any action while seeking a meeting with the league. Those player reps also must vote on the deal before the entire NFLPA membership does so.
That could happen later this week, but there still are some issues of contention between the two sides – enough to cause Tuesday's meeting to last more than three hours. The current collective bargaining agreement expires in March 2021, but the owners are eager to get a new contract in place as soon as possible. That would enable them to begin looking toward new, lucrative broadcast deals, with a decade of labor peace assured.
But the players don't appear to be in a rush to approve the new agreement.
Remark brings suspension: A Cleveland sports talk radio personality has been suspended indefinitely for referring to Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield as a “midget.”
During a commercial break at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, ESPN Cleveland's Tony Grossi didn't realize his microphone was still on when he used a vulgar word before calling Mayfield a midget. Grossi is a columnist for the station and frequently appears on air.