2011 NFL lockout
Encyclopedia
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout
that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days. Although it initially threatened to postpone or cancel the 2011 season
, the only game that was called off was the August 7 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
because of the insufficient time the teams had to prepare for that contest after the lockout ended.
, after previously voting to extend it in 2006. That last labor agreement gave players 57 percent of the league’s $9 billion in revenue, after the owners took $1 billion for growth and development of the league. A major reason for opting out was that the owners wanted a better deal to help pay for investments they had made on new stadiums and other expenditures. Part of the previous CBA involved a transfer of revenues from the higher earning teams to the lowest, even though some of the higher earners also had higher costs. Players were very skeptical that the owners were losing money as a result of their payments to players, and believed the pay dispute was deliberately generated by some owners in order to renegotiate their own revenue sharing agreements which were attached to the CBA. The players resisted any pay cuts across the board.
As bargaining chips, the owners proposed to extend the regular season from 16 to 18 games, establish a rookie wage scale and/or rookie salary cap that would limit first-round draft pick compensation to 40% of the current level, begin routine testing for human growth hormone, and implement other health and safety issues. But the players were concerned that these health and safety proposals would be offset by the potential injuries that might occur during those two extra games.
Anticipating a lockout
initiated by the owners if no deal were made, a number of players voted in Fall 2010 to agree to decertify the union, which would expose the owners to potential antitrust
lawsuits. However, the players would then lose the ability to collectively bargain with the owners. The league is also exempted from most facets of antitrust laws as a result of Public Law 89-800, passed in the wake of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, complicating any potential lawsuit against the league. The players union hired firms to lobby members of the U.S. Congress
on their behalf, claiming that a work stoppage could potentially cost each NFL city $160 million in lost business, a figure that the league owners claimed was inflated. Some congressmen indicated a willingness to intervene if necessary.
of the Indianapolis Colts
, Tom Brady
and Logan Mankins
of the New England Patriots
, Vincent Jackson
of the San Diego Chargers
, Ben Leber
and Brian Robison
of the Minnesota Vikings
, Von Miller
who was drafted by the Denver Broncos
with the second pick overall, Osi Umenyiora
of the New York Giants
, Mike Vrabel
of the Kansas City Chiefs
, Drew Brees
of the New Orleans Saints
as well as several former NFL players including Priest Holmes
of the Kansas City Chiefs.) In response to the decertification, the league officially locked out the players. On July 5, 2011, a group of retired NFL players led by Carl Eller
, Franco Harris
, Marcus Allen
and Paul Krause
filed its own class-action lawsuit against both the NFL and NFLPA, stating that the decertification disqualified the NFLPA from bargaining on the former NFL players' behalf.
On July 6, 2011, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
opened an investigation into the league for possible violations of New York State's antitrust law, the Donnelly Act.
This was only the second time in which a labor dispute affected the preseason. The other was during the 1974 NFL season
, in which the College All-Star Game
was canceled due to the threat of a work stoppage; an agreement was struck shortly thereafter, and the rest of the preseason, beginning with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
, was unaffected. The 1982 and 1987 strikes began after the regular season was already underway. The 2011 lockout was the longest in the NFL's history; however, because the majority of it was imposed during the offseason, it had much less of an effect than shorter strikes in 1982 NFL season
and 1987 NFL season
, both of which led to more canceled games.
invalidated the lockout and ordered the league to resume operations. The league asked Nelson to stay the order while it appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
; Nelson refused. The NFLPA advised players to arrive at their teams' stadiums for work uninvited; most teams allowed players to enter the front office but refused further access. The order to resume operations without any CBA in place left the league in "chaos" because, without a CBA, there were no rules in place regarding a salary cap or floor, free agency, and similar labor-related issues. On April 29, 2011, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the league a temporary stay of Nelson's ruling; the league reinstated the lockout following Day 2 of the draft. The stay was extended through at least June 3, when a full appeal was heard; the Eighth Circuit vacated
Nelson's ruling on July 8, affirming the legitimacy of the lockout.
was allowed to take place despite the lockout. In addition, there was also some cushion in the schedule just in case the labor dispute lasted into September and the planned start of the regular season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
stated that Super Bowl XLVI could be moved a week later if needed, so that the entire season could be played in full. In addition, every contest in Week 3 had teams which shared the same bye week later in the season, which would have allowed these games to be made up on what were originally the teams' byes. Weeks 2 and 4 were set up so that there were neither any divisional rivalry games nor teams on bye in those weeks, which would have kept the season as fair as possible if those games had to be canceled. The league could also have eliminated the normal off week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. All in all, up to six weeks of the season could have been lost (moving week 3 games into the bye weeks, canceling weeks 2, 4, and 17, and moving weeks 1 and 5 to the end of the season while postponing the playoffs one week) while still keeping a generally fair schedule with five division games and eight non-division games. The league also had a plan for a longer stoppage, which included an abbreviated eight-game season beginning in late November.
Goodell had stated that the league did not consider using replacement player
s.
abstained). The players association's executive board approved the new CBA on July 25, with the players voting to ratify it on August 4. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith signed the agreement the next day, ending the lockout.
had set a deadline of July 22, 2011 for both sides to ratify a deal in time for training camp to be opened and the game to be played (under normal circumstances, each team opens training camp 15 days before their first preseason game). When that day passed without both sides agreeing to a deal, the league canceled the game,
thus the HOF cancellation was the only on-field casualty of the lockout.
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days. Although it initially threatened to postpone or cancel the 2011 season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
, the only game that was called off was the August 7 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
because of the insufficient time the teams had to prepare for that contest after the lockout ended.
Background
The NFL owners unanimously voted in 2008 not to continue with the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) following the 2010 season2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
, after previously voting to extend it in 2006. That last labor agreement gave players 57 percent of the league’s $9 billion in revenue, after the owners took $1 billion for growth and development of the league. A major reason for opting out was that the owners wanted a better deal to help pay for investments they had made on new stadiums and other expenditures. Part of the previous CBA involved a transfer of revenues from the higher earning teams to the lowest, even though some of the higher earners also had higher costs. Players were very skeptical that the owners were losing money as a result of their payments to players, and believed the pay dispute was deliberately generated by some owners in order to renegotiate their own revenue sharing agreements which were attached to the CBA. The players resisted any pay cuts across the board.
As bargaining chips, the owners proposed to extend the regular season from 16 to 18 games, establish a rookie wage scale and/or rookie salary cap that would limit first-round draft pick compensation to 40% of the current level, begin routine testing for human growth hormone, and implement other health and safety issues. But the players were concerned that these health and safety proposals would be offset by the potential injuries that might occur during those two extra games.
Anticipating a lockout
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
initiated by the owners if no deal were made, a number of players voted in Fall 2010 to agree to decertify the union, which would expose the owners to potential antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
lawsuits. However, the players would then lose the ability to collectively bargain with the owners. The league is also exempted from most facets of antitrust laws as a result of Public Law 89-800, passed in the wake of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, complicating any potential lawsuit against the league. The players union hired firms to lobby members of the U.S. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on their behalf, claiming that a work stoppage could potentially cost each NFL city $160 million in lost business, a figure that the league owners claimed was inflated. Some congressmen indicated a willingness to intervene if necessary.
Lockout
Just before the CBA expired on March 3, both the players and the league owners agreed to extend the negotiations by one week. However, talks eventually broke down, and on March 11, the union formally decertified, after which a group of ten players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league. (The players involved were Peyton ManningPeyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
of the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
and Logan Mankins
Logan Mankins
-2005–06 seasons:Mankins was drafted with the final pick of the first round, 32nd overall, in the 2005 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Despite playing his entire collegiate career as a tackle, Mankins was moved to left guard by the Patriots, where he immediately stepped into the starting...
of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
of the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Ben Leber
Ben Leber
Ben Leber is an American football linebacker for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
and Brian Robison
Brian Robison
Brian Gale Robison is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns...
of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Von Miller
Von Miller
Von Miller is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted second overall by the Broncos in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M....
who was drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the second pick overall, Osi Umenyiora
Osi Umenyiora
-2003:Umenyiora was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Troy State University, now Troy University. He was number 72. As a rookie in 2003, he played in 13 games with one start.-2005:...
of the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Mike Vrabel
Mike Vrabel
Michael George "Mike" Vrabel is an assistant coach at Ohio State. He is a retired American football linebacker in the National Football League. Vrabel spent 14 seasons in the NFL, having played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and most recently, the Kansas City Chiefs...
of the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
of the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
as well as several former NFL players including Priest Holmes
Priest Holmes
Priest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
of the Kansas City Chiefs.) In response to the decertification, the league officially locked out the players. On July 5, 2011, a group of retired NFL players led by Carl Eller
Carl Eller
Carl Eller is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who played from 1964 through 1979. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and attended the University of Minnesota...
, Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
, Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
and Paul Krause
Paul Krause
Paul James Krause is a former American football defensive back who played in the National Football League...
filed its own class-action lawsuit against both the NFL and NFLPA, stating that the decertification disqualified the NFLPA from bargaining on the former NFL players' behalf.
On July 6, 2011, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
Eric Schneiderman
Eric T. Schneiderman is the 65th and current New York Attorney General.-Early life, education, and early career:Schneiderman graduated from Amherst College in 1977 with a B.A...
opened an investigation into the league for possible violations of New York State's antitrust law, the Donnelly Act.
This was only the second time in which a labor dispute affected the preseason. The other was during the 1974 NFL season
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
, in which the College All-Star Game
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year...
was canceled due to the threat of a work stoppage; an agreement was struck shortly thereafter, and the rest of the preseason, beginning with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
, was unaffected. The 1982 and 1987 strikes began after the regular season was already underway. The 2011 lockout was the longest in the NFL's history; however, because the majority of it was imposed during the offseason, it had much less of an effect than shorter strikes in 1982 NFL season
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
and 1987 NFL season
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
, both of which led to more canceled games.
Court rulings
On April 25, 2011, U.S. District Court judge Susan Richard NelsonSusan Richard Nelson
Susan Richard Nelson is an American lawyer and District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. She has served in this position since December 2010, prior to which she served as a United States magistrate judge with the same court.-Early life and...
invalidated the lockout and ordered the league to resume operations. The league asked Nelson to stay the order while it appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
; Nelson refused. The NFLPA advised players to arrive at their teams' stadiums for work uninvited; most teams allowed players to enter the front office but refused further access. The order to resume operations without any CBA in place left the league in "chaos" because, without a CBA, there were no rules in place regarding a salary cap or floor, free agency, and similar labor-related issues. On April 29, 2011, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the league a temporary stay of Nelson's ruling; the league reinstated the lockout following Day 2 of the draft. The stay was extended through at least June 3, when a full appeal was heard; the Eighth Circuit vacated
Vacated judgment
A vacated judgment makes a previous legal judgment legally void. A vacated judgment is usually the result of the judgment of an appellate court which overturns, reverses, or sets aside the judgment of a lower court....
Nelson's ruling on July 8, affirming the legitimacy of the lockout.
Contingency plans
A provision in the CBA ensured that the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
was allowed to take place despite the lockout. In addition, there was also some cushion in the schedule just in case the labor dispute lasted into September and the planned start of the regular season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell
Roger S. Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League , having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. He was chosen over four finalists for the position, winning a close vote on the fifth ballot before being unanimously approved by acclamation of the...
stated that Super Bowl XLVI could be moved a week later if needed, so that the entire season could be played in full. In addition, every contest in Week 3 had teams which shared the same bye week later in the season, which would have allowed these games to be made up on what were originally the teams' byes. Weeks 2 and 4 were set up so that there were neither any divisional rivalry games nor teams on bye in those weeks, which would have kept the season as fair as possible if those games had to be canceled. The league could also have eliminated the normal off week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. All in all, up to six weeks of the season could have been lost (moving week 3 games into the bye weeks, canceling weeks 2, 4, and 17, and moving weeks 1 and 5 to the end of the season while postponing the playoffs one week) while still keeping a generally fair schedule with five division games and eight non-division games. The league also had a plan for a longer stoppage, which included an abbreviated eight-game season beginning in late November.
Goodell had stated that the league did not consider using replacement player
Replacement player
In professional sports, a replacement player is an athlete who is not a member of the league's players association and plays during a labor dispute such as a strike or lockout.- National Football League – 1987 :...
s.
End of lockout
The NFL owners announced on July 21 that it had approved a new collective bargaining agreement by a 31–0–1 margin (the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
abstained). The players association's executive board approved the new CBA on July 25, with the players voting to ratify it on August 4. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith signed the agreement the next day, ending the lockout.
Cancellations
The two teams involved in the Pro Football Hall of Fame GamePro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
had set a deadline of July 22, 2011 for both sides to ratify a deal in time for training camp to be opened and the game to be played (under normal circumstances, each team opens training camp 15 days before their first preseason game). When that day passed without both sides agreeing to a deal, the league canceled the game,
thus the HOF cancellation was the only on-field casualty of the lockout.