DeMaurice Smith News

DeMaurice Smith News From AOL News

Lockout, Decertification Leave NFL in Limbo

WASHINGTON -- All along, the NFL said it was certain the players' union would decertify and head to court. All along, the union insisted the league's owners were planning to lock out the players. And that's exactly what happened. Unable to decide how to divvy up $9 billion a year, NFL owners and players put the...

Players Head to Court as NFL Labor Talks Break Off

WASHINGTON -- Unable to decide how to divvy up $9 billion a year, NFL owners and players put the country's most popular sport in limbo Friday by breaking off labor negotiations hours before their contract expired. The union decertified, and 10 players, including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, sued the...

Source: 'We're Nowhere' on NFL CBA Talks

INDIANAPOLIS -- NFL players' union chief DeMaurice Smith addressed agents in an annual meeting here Friday at the scouting combine. But several agents who were in the meeting said Smith didn't get into the specifics of the mediated collective bargaining negotiations that took place over the previous seven days in...

NFL, Union Reps Meet in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) -- NFL and players union representatives are meeting in Washington to discuss a new collective bargaining agreement. It's the second session in five days, the previous negotiations taking place in Dallas on Saturday. Team owners opted out of the CBA in 2008 and the current contract expires March 3. NFL...

Goodell: There Are No Dealbreakers in Labor Negotiations

DALLAS -- While NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith continues to take a combative stance toward the slow-moving labor negotiations which face a March 4 deadline before the collective bargaining agreement expires, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell maintained a mostly conciliatory attitude during his...

DeMaurice Smith News From the Web

05/25/12 Union leader says facts prove NFL collusion claim Source: TheShowBuzz WASHINGTON — NFL players union chief DeMaurice Smith says his group's claim of collusion will stand up in court.
05/25/12 Smith Said NFLPA Had No Choice But To File Lawsuit Source: Sports Business Daily NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith, in his first remarks since a collusion lawsuit was filed against the NFL in U.S. District Court in Minnesota on Wednesday, said that the union "had no choice but to seek legal action," according to A.J. Perez of FOXSPORTS.com. Smith said, &ldq...
05/22/12 Goodell, Smith To Meet About Pro Bowl's Future Source: ABC - KIFI 8 - Idaho Falls/Pocatello ID Allowing that the caliber of competition at the league's annual Pro Bowl game has slumped dramatically, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will meet soon with NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith about the much criticized contest and could decide its fate shortly thereafter.
05/17/12 Jonathan Vilma's Suit, NFLPA's Grievance Aim to Get... Source: Bleacher Report Under former executive director Gene Upshaw, the National Football League Players Association and its members enjoyed years of labor peace and a healthy relationship with the league office and then-NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
05/04/12 NFLPA files grievance against Goodell, NFL Source: USA Today The NFL Players Association has filed a grievance against the NFL which challenges Commissioner Roger Goodell 's authority to suspend the current and former New Orleans Saints who participated in the team's bounty program.

Background on DeMaurice Smith

DeMaurice F. "De" Smith (born February 3, 1964) is the Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), and he was elected unanimously by a board of active player representatives on March 15, 2009. As Executive Director of the NFLPA during the 2011 NFL lockout, Smith played a major role in helping the players and NFL owners come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement.

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