The lead named plaintiff in the players’ lawsuit against the NFL says he’s confident that something will get worked out and there will be a 2011 season.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was asked by Boomer Esiason if he believes the 2011 season will happen, and he responded in the affirmative.
“I believe it,” Brady said, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Certainly I think there are too many players and too many owners that want it. There are a lot of people in the negotiating room and I know players are looking out, not only for ourselves, but for the past players, and the owners are trying to build a business.”
In the short term, offseason activities are beginning not because both sides are satisfied but because the players have gone to court and gotten an order forcing the owners to open up their facilities. But in the long term, Brady thinks a deal will get done that can make all sides happy.
“I think with any of that, there needs to be compromise,” Brady said. “I know that before now and whenever the scheduled start of the season is -– whether it’s training camp or the first game of the season -– I think there are going to be a lot of talks that take place, a lot of negotiating sessions, and hopefully a lot of compromise comes from that. That’s business.”
Right now, there are no negotiating sessions, just courtroom appearances. But even though he’s the man whose name is on the lawsuit, Brady seems to think a less acrimonious way of beginning the season is coming.
Here’s hoping he’s right.