Union Head DeMaurice Smith secretly bought insurance against a 2011 season

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From the moment he was elected executive director of the NFL Players Association in March 2009, DeMaurice Smith always took the long view when it came to negotiations with the owners on a new collective bargaining agreement. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

It's one of the reasons that slightly more than a year ago he received approval from the executive committee to secure insurance that would pay each player roughly $200,000 if there were no football in 2011.

Smith disclosed the fund to only a handful of people outside of the executive committee. However with negotiations seemingly at a standstill late Wednesday night, the decision was made to play one of their aces in the hole. So in the relative quiet of the sides' New York City bargaining room the next morning, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth informed the owners of the previously secret lockout fund.

Players' secret fund could have sparked NFL lockout talks - Jim Trotter - SI.com

Shrewd move.

 

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And in other news:

Breer: Economics Of NFL Deal Done

BOSTON (CBS) – NFL Network’s Albert Breer is reporting the economics to a new NFL collective bargaining agreement are essentially done, another step forward to ending the league’s lockout.

While more details remain, Breer does not see these “hoops” standing in the way of getting a deal done.

The two sides agreed on a rookie wage system during Thursday’s 15-hour negotiation session, one of the major points in reaching a new deal.

The two sides were back at the negotiating table on Friday.

Breer: Economics Of NFL Deal Done « CBS Boston