NFL players savor win, but for how long?
NFL owners tried to regain their footing Tuesday in the battle over how to divide revenue from a $9 billion business.
The NFL is appealing a preliminary injunction issued Monday night by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson. That means the NFL is open for business, though no one can say for how long since a decision on the league's request for a stay of the injunction should come later this week.
Some players celebrated their new-found advantage by returning to the workplaces from which they have been barred since March 10, when talks on a new collective bargaining agreement broke down.
But as players, such as Steelers free safety Ryan Clark, hailed the court decision that lifted the nearly six-week lockout, they were among the many asking, "What next?"
Steelers union representatives Clark and Charlie Batch were among the first people at the Steelers' South Side headquarters yesterday — and the only players that made an appearance there.
They were allowed into the building, and Clark chatted with Steelers president Art Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin.
He stayed for about an hour and then left to go work out. Batch, who arrived at the facility at around 8 a.m., stayed until late morning before driving past reporters without stopping to comment.
Clark, who had encouraged teammates to show up at the practice facility, said, "We are not allowed to work out right now, not allowed to get back into the football swing of things, so guys are going to come down and do what they can but we can't make (the Steelers) allow us to do everything we want to do."
The NFL instructed teams to allow players in but not allow any workouts or practice.
"We do not believe it is appropriate for football activities to take place there until there are further rulings from the court," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement.
The only certainty a day after Nelson's ruling is that the players scored a major victory.
"Let's say it's the middle of the second quarter and the players are up by seven to 10 points," Pittsburgh-based agent Ralph Cindrich said.
While the players found themselves in a holding pattern, they had reason to be optimistic with legal experts widely predicting it is unlikely that Nelson's injunction will be overturned.
"She did an incredibly thorough job," New York City labor lawyer David Scupp said of Nelson's 89-page ruling. "The appellate court does have the final word here, but it's still a win for the players. They'll look to see if a district judge abused her discretion. Bottom line they're going to give her opinion a lot of deference."
If Nelson does not grant a stay of the injunction until there is a ruling on the NFL's appeal, the league will essentially start its calendar year, with free agency and offseason workouts.
"It's good to see things are going in the right direction," said Steelers offensive tackle Willie Colon, who returned to Pittsburgh from Atlanta yesterday. "Hopefully, we can get things squared away so I can get back to doing what I love, and that's playing football. God willing, that's with the Steelers."
Colon's situation is representative of the uncertainty that has gripped the league.
He has accrued five NFL seasons and is not under contract. But it remains to be seen if Colon will be an unrestricted free agent.
With no CBA, there are no rules in place regarding free agency and a handful of other issues, including offseason bonuses.
Last year, the final one of the CBA, players weren't eligible for unrestricted free agency until after their sixth season, and there was no salary cap.
While the NFL has strongly encouraged teams not to conduct any business until after the ruling on the injunction, prospective free agents could shop themselves yesterday since the lockout had been blocked by Nelson.
"From a legal standpoint I think we're in a case of yes, that could happen," said agent Jason Chayut, who has several players that could be coveted in free agency, including Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph. "However it takes two to tango and I'm not sure both sides are willing to do that. We're in no man's land here."
Larry Foote isn't quite there yet.
The Steelers inside linebacker wasn't scheduled to return to workouts or practices until May because of his veteran status. Workouts start in the middle of March, but Tomlin brings back players in staggered groups based on seniority.
"It really hasn't affected us except for the worrying and thinking about it," Foote said of the lockout.
Minicamp takes place the week after the draft, and there could be a situation this year in which free agency and the draft are held at the same time. Chayut said he doubts anything other than the draft, which starts Thursday, will be the focus later this week.
But if the owners don't get a stay of the injunction it could impact the draft since teams could trade players during it and sign undrafted free agents after it.
If the lockout is in place again by tomorrow, teams won't be allowed to trade anything other than picks. They will also be prohibited from signing free agents after the draft.
"Basically, we're in limbo," Cindrich said. "(Nelson's ruling) is not the best of all results but it's a better result. It starts the way for an NFL season in 2011."
