After a hearing that lasted over five-and-half hours, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson took the preliminary injunction motion in the Brady v. National Football League suit under advisement and said she will need at least two weeks to make her ruling.
The injunction seeks to end the lockout imposed by the owners after the collective bargaining agreement last month.
In the meantime, Nelson urged both NFL owners and the players to settle the case with the help of the federal court. That’s an option the NFL has repeatedly not had any interest in because any settlement would keep a new collective bargaining agreement under the purview of the court system. The NFL wants a CBA collectively bargaining and third-party arbiters put in place similar to the other major sports.
“The court will rule as quickly as possible,” Nelson said at the conclusion of the proceedings. “But I do feel compelled to say that it will probably take me a couple of weeks to do a fair job to both sides and take a look at the issues and determine if a hearing is needed or not, and to rule
“In the meantime, it seems to me that both sides are at risk. And this is a very good time for you to come back to the table. Not to the union table, not to the players’ table, but to the federal court table which is in the middle. Let’s say neutral table, if you will. It fully protects you in every way from any consequences and this is really a matter which should be resolved in my view. There are a lot of folks who are impacted by this beyond those present today.”
