The league and the players have resolved their differences, but Carl Eller and a class of retired players still have a beef with both sides.
Per the Associated Press, the lawyers for the parties appeared in court before Judge Susan Nelson on Wednesday. Eller and company want Judge Nelson to order everyone back to mediation for the purposes of dealing with the retired players’ claims.
Judge Nelson, according to the AP, said that the retired players face an uphill battle. And she’s right. The retired players have no real legal claims, against anyone.
Meanwhile, SportsBusiness Daily reports that retired player Bernie Parrish has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that the NFLPA violated federal law by attempting to negotiate on behalf of retired players.
Again, the retired players have no rights -- and they have no leverage. They may not like what the NFLPA got for them, but it’s more than they could have gotten on their own.
Maybe that’s what needs to happen. Maybe the court should vacate any portion of the new CBA that involves payment to retired players, and then let the retired players to work out their own deal.
If they don’t like what the NFL offers, the retired players can always go on strike.