National Football League lock-out reinstated after court grants league’s appeal for stay – NFL News
The National Football League announced on Friday, April 29 after the 8th United States Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis, Missouri granted the league’s request for a stay on the NFL lock-out.
Just last week, U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson ruled in favour of the players and lifted the imposed lock-out, which had reached its 45th day. The league then appealed her decision for an injunction to the lock-out, but was denied. The
league then appealed in St. Louis’ Court of Appeals and the court ruled in favour of the league, which reinstated its lock-out.
Braylon Edwards, wide receiver for the New York Jets, summed up the entire incident from his Twitter account saying, “Looks like we’re unemployed again.”
The NFL did not wait an extra second before reinstating the lock-out, announcing their decision moments after the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft had ended. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told reporters that teams were informed about the decision saying that
they "have been told that the prior lockout rules are reinstated effective immediately."
All of this happened just hours after players were allowed to return to their teams’ facilities for the first time since the lock-out was imposed, dating back to March 11. Players were ecstatic as they met with coaches, got a look at play-books and worked
out. But their happiness was short-lived, with the announcement to resume the lock-out was made just hours later.
"Nobody's happy about any of this," Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said. "But it is what it is. The lockout is back into effect."
The Court of Appeals in St. Louis is known to be more favourable to businesses than the U.S. District Court in Minnesota, where Judge Nelson presides. The first collective bargaining agreement was made at a federal court in Minnesota and they are known to
favour players over the league.
This was the first victory for the league in the entire court process and was one that they won by a slim margin. Three judges, Steven Colloton, Kermit Bye and Duane Benton, voted on the appeal and ruled 2-1 in favour of the league. Bye also made a lengthy
statement saying that a stay on a decision should only be issued in case of emergency.
"The NFL has not persuaded me this is the type of emergency situation which justifies the grant of a temporary stay," Bye said.
Bye said that the league requested to resume the lock-out, not because it would suffer without a lock-out in place, but because they refused to run their $9 billion business without a collective bargaining agreement in place.
The players’ lead attorney, Jim Quinn, was not disheartened by the reinstallation of the lock-out, saying that it is routine and totally expected.
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