A federal judge has dismissed the NFL Players Association’s claim that the NFL engaged in illegal collusion to hold down player salaries during the 2010 season, when there was no salary cap.
The union had claimed that NFL teams broke labor laws by agreeing to effectively have a cap even though it was an uncapped year. But U.S. District Judge Michael Davis ruled today that any such claim the NFLPA wanted to make was nullified once the parties both signed off on the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“Overall, the NFLPA has failed to demonstrate that the NFL engaged in any fraud or other misconduct that prevented the NFLPA from fully and fairly presenting its case. The parties were embroiled in a high-profile, high-pressure labor dispute and multiple lawsuits. After lengthy negotiations through sophisticated counsel, the parties made a calculated decision to enter into a settlement,” Davis wrote in his decision.
After a week in which the NFL was dealt a major loss in a court battle with the NFLPA, today’s ruling represents a victory for the league.