Nflpa

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, NFL Players Association president Domonique Foxworth said Friday that he was disappointed in Maryland House of Delegates member Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Democrat from Baltimore County, who sent a letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti that urged him to silence Brendon Ayanbadejo . The Ravens linebacker has used his platform to voice his support for same-sex marriage. “I don't know if I can come up with a strong enough word, but his request was asinine,” Foxworth said.

Memo to pro scouts watching Saturday's NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Los Angeles: As for Adam Yates, what you see is what you get. There's not much video of the strong-legged kicker from Sparks. Yates, 22, will strut his stuff in a game that features lesser-known prospects for April's NFL draft. He fits the bill, having kicked field goals for just two years - as a senior in both college and high school. Each time, he shined. In the fall, Yates helped South Carolina to a No. 8 national ranking after earning an athletic scholarship in his final season.

Former Ravens coach Brian Billick talked at length about the then-looming labor situation in his 2009 book, "More Than a Game. " He and co-author Michael MacCambridge wrote then that if there is a lockout, "all the momentum that the league has enjoyed for the past twenty years is shot to hell. " A year and a half later, the NFL and the NFL Players Association are negotiating to prevent a work stoppage, and one of the big sticking points for the players is the owners' refusal to open up their books.

Goodell wins, loses Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times Roger Goodell was both the biggest loser and winner in Paul Tagliabue's bounty scandal ruling. Goodell's credibility has taken a huge hit over the course of this ordeal, and having his predecessor correct him in such a public forum has to be a blow to the ego. But Tagliabue did Goodell a huge favor too. By affirming the factual findings of the investigation, essentially siding with Goodell at every turn, Tagliabue did nothing to strengthen the legal arguments of the (formerly)

Former Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who played an important role in the negotiations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the end of the NFL lockout last year, was elected as the president of the NFL Players Association during the union's Board of Player Representatives meeting today. Foxworth, a former standout at Western Tech and Maryland, had his contract terminated by the Ravens on March 5. He played in just two games for the Ravens the past two seasons after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a non-contact drill on the first day of training camp in 2010.

Ravens NFLPA's view of franchise tag could put Ngata on market The NFL Players Association is disputing the NFL's contention it can apply a franchise tag to players whose contracts expire at the end of the 2010 league year, which throws into question the Ravens' ability to tag defensive tackle Haloti Ngata . A statement from the NFLPA said the union had "received reports that the NFL is advising clubs" they can use the franchise...

What would quarterback Dan Marino be worth if all 28 National Football League teams could bid for his services without restrictions?That's the question the NFL Players Association hopes to answer in the next year.The NFLPA climbed the first of three hurdles in its four-year legal fight for baseball-style free agency yesterday, when a federal judge in Minneapolis, David Doty, ruled the association is not a union.If the decision is upheld by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, it then would be up to a jury in Minneapolis to decide if the NFL's restrictions on free agency violate antitrust laws.

Four years, four months, two days and two lawsuits after it started its legal fight for free agency, the NFL Players Association will get its day in court Feb. 17.The jury trial to determine whether the NFL's restrictions on player movements violate the antitrust laws will be held in Minneapolis.The NFLPA finally won that long-awaited court date yesterday after the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to hear an appeal by the owners of federal Judge David Doty's ruling on May 24 that the NFLPA is no longer a union.

I think we can all agree the NFL is one of the greatest money-making machines of all time. The 32 teams generated close to $9 billion in revenue last year. Forbes magazine puts the average team's worth at $1 billion. Commissioner Roger Goodell makes $20 million a year. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees signed a five-year contract worth $100 million. Ray Rice just agreed to a five-year, $40 million deal with the Ravens. I could go on and on. But you get the point. If you're anywhere in the NFL's orbit, you're probably not standing in soup lines.

Former Ravens cornerback and current NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth is “probably” going to retire. In a recent interview with a United Kingdom-based football website called DBLcoverage.com, the 29-year-old said, “I think that I've probably made the decision that I'm going to move forward and stop playing football.” Foxworth, who signed a four-year, $27.2 million contract with the Ravens in 2009, was cut by the team in March...

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, NFL Players Association president Domonique Foxworth said Friday that he was disappointed in Maryland House of Delegates member Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Democrat from Baltimore County, who sent a letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti that urged him to silence Brendon Ayanbadejo . The Ravens linebacker has used his platform to voice his support for same-sex marriage. “I don't know if I can come up with a strong enough word, but his request was asinine,” Foxworth said.

After a considerable amount of haggling, the NFL Management Council and NFL Players Association have agreed to move back the NFL trading deadline and adopt a new rule allowing teams to activate one player from injured reserve. The trading deadline has been shifted back from Oct. 16 to Oct. 30, the NFL and the players' union jointly announced Thursday afternoon. The deadline is now on a Tuesday following the eighth week of the regular season. Because the injured reserve rule change was adopted following the roster cutdown to 75 players, the NFL and the NFLPA agreed to a transition procedure that allows teams to return to their 53-player active roster list one player that was already placed on injured reserve since training camp started.

I think we can all agree the NFL is one of the greatest money-making machines of all time. The 32 teams generated close to $9 billion in revenue last year. Forbes magazine puts the average team's worth at $1 billion. Commissioner Roger Goodell makes $20 million a year. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees signed a five-year contract worth $100 million. Ray Rice just agreed to a five-year, $40 million deal with the Ravens. I could go on and on. But you get the point. If you're anywhere in the NFL's orbit, you're probably not standing in soup lines.

The NFL tweaked some of its rules Tuesday, making thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for players (starting in 2013) and pushing forward a pair of other changes involving the trade deadline and injured reserve. The rule involving thigh and knee padding for players is already being met with criticism by some players who argue that the bulky, additional padding slows them down without adding much protection . Vanity might also be a factor here for some opponents of the rule change, specifically those flashy wide receivers and defensive backs.

Former Ravens cornerback and current NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth is “probably” going to retire. In a recent interview with a United Kingdom-based football website called DBLcoverage.com, the 29-year-old said, “I think that I've probably made the decision that I'm going to move forward and stop playing football.” Foxworth, who signed a four-year, $27.2 million contract with the Ravens in 2009, was cut by the team in March...

Former Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who played an important role in the negotiations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the end of the NFL lockout last year, was elected as the president of the NFL Players Association during the union's Board of Player Representatives meeting today. Foxworth, a former standout at Western Tech and Maryland, had his contract terminated by the Ravens on March 5. He played in just two games for the Ravens the past two seasons after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a non-contact drill on the first day of training camp in 2010.

Let them savor moment Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times If a top prospect is invited and wants to attend the NFL draft, he should. Everyone understands there's visceral anger on both sides of the labor fight, and it's not uncommon for one side or the other to use pawns to gain leverage. But for these rookies-to-be, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Denying them this moment is childish and will have minimal impact. Both the NFL and NFLPA agreed in the CBA to stage a 2011 draft, so honor that and move forward.

For the third time in the past 13 months, the NFL and the NFL Players Association this week announced new initiatives designed to relieve financial strain on needy retired players. One day after league commissioner Roger Goodell and union executive director Gene Upshaw met with 11 former players, the NFLPA unveiled a $7 million fund that will offer free surgery for joint replacement to uninsured retired players. It was part of a four-point plan that also will attempt to simplify and expedite the application process for disability benefits, a major complaint of aging retirees.

When the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement was hammered out by NFL owners and the NFLPA last summer, a tweak was made to the rules regarding the compensation a team can receive if one of their restricted free agents signs an offer sheet with another team. In the past, the maximum tender that could be placed on a restricted free agent was for first- and third-round draft picks, meaning that if, say, the Cleveland Browns signed Player X, a restricted free agent for the Ravens, to an offer sheet, the Ravens could either match the contract offer and keep the player or let him walk and be compensated with those two draft picks.

Cornerback Domonique Foxworth was placed on injured reserve, ending his season and leaving the Ravens with five healthy cornerbacks. Foxworth tore his ACL just before training camp last year, and the veteran admitted several times this season that he didn't yet feel completely comfortable with the surgically-repaired knee and his play had suffered as a result. After struggling in the Ravens' Week Two loss to the Tennessee Titans, Foxworth was inactive last Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.