Regardless of what is in the agreement that the owners voted unanimously for, I was afraid this would happen. By voting 31-0 yes, the players are not really backed into a corner. Instead, they're in a position where they hold all of the power. "You all voted unanimously to pass this. It's unfair, clearly. If you don't want to start losing preseason games, here are our demands." I'm equally skeptical of both sides right now.

Originally Posted by: MassPackersFan 

At least we can sleep well knowing that the Owners and Players are apt professionals.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

On the other hand, the fact that the owners voted 31-0 for the new deal suggests that the deal is VERY favorable to the owners. If that's the case, it's not surprising that the players didn't immediately agree to it. Do you really think the owners would be stupid enough to suddenly put the players in a position of power?

Originally Posted by: Greg C. 

Players can take a look at the deal the owners ratified on Thursday all they want.

But there will not be any more negotiations. Not according to Mark Murphy, the president of the Green Bay Packers. Murphy said in a conference call with Packers media that the owners have “put our pens down.”

It’s been reported that the players could take a vote on the tentative agreement later today. Otherwise, the issue could drag into next week with just the smallest items being argued.

“We’ve negotiated in good faith with the union. We’ve reached an agreement on all the key points,” Murphy said. “They know what we ratified and they’re voting to ratify the same thing.”

Murphy was a key member of the NFLPA during the 1982 players strike so he’s been through the labor wars in the NFL before. He’s typically measured in his public comments and this gives you an idea where the owners are coming from at this point. Now, we just wait to see what move the players make.


“I would be surprised if they don’t ratify,” Murphy said. “That’s really our hope, that they do. If they don’t, we’ll deal with that when it comes. We certainly want to have a full preseason and not miss any preseason games.”