NEW YORK (Diya TV) — The NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) quietly buried a major ruling in a recent collusion case for more than five months. The case focused on veteran player contracts and the use of guaranteed money. It could become one of the most important decisions in sports labor history.
But thanks to relentless work by journalists, the truth is now out.
System Arbitrator Christopher Droney issued a 61-page ruling on January 14, 2025. But neither the NFL nor the NFLPA made it public. Both sides appeared to have a shared interest in keeping the case under wraps.
Journalists Pablo Torre and Mike Florio brought the issue to light.
The grievance centered around contract guarantees for veteran NFL players. At the core was a concern: Did the NFL’s Management Council push teams to limit guaranteed money in player contracts?
That concern grew after the Cleveland Browns gave quarterback Deshaun Watson a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal in March 2022. Days later, the NFL held its annual owners’ meeting. According to Droney’s ruling, the Management Council — backed by Commissioner Roger Goodell — encouraged teams to avoid similar deals.
On pages 55 and 56 of his ruling, Droney wrote, “There is little question that the NFL Management Council, with the blessing of the Commissioner, encouraged the 32 NFL Clubs to reduce guarantees in veterans’ contracts.”
In other words, the league wanted teams to fall in line. It aimed to prevent a trend of fully guaranteed deals from becoming the standard.
Despite those findings, the NFL technically won the case. Droney ruled that there was not enough proof that teams acted on the league’s push. The decision stated that the evidence did not show, by a “clear preponderance,” that clubs followed the Management Council’s guidance.
That conclusion shocked many familiar with the league. Critics say it ignores how power flows in the NFL. When the league gives a message, teams usually follow. Why have a Management Council if teams can simply ignore it?
One source close to the proceedings called the ruling the most important in American sports since the 1994 baseball strike. Even though the NFL avoided penalties, the decision shows that the league attempted to steer teams against guaranteed contracts.
In the end, the ruling claimed no rules were broken — but the crumbs of collusion remain.
While the NFL and NFLPA kept quiet, Torre and Florio pushed for answers. Their efforts broke the silence.
Their reporting highlights a growing concern in sports journalism: access over accountability. In an era where many outlets wait for official statements, Torre and Florio showed the value of real investigative work.
“More than 90 percent of the ‘journalism’ in this space isn’t journalism at all,” Florio said. “The real journalism comes from finding out the things ‘they’ don’t want us to know.”
The collusion ruling raises bigger questions. Will more players now push for fully guaranteed contracts? Will teams resist, fearing backlash from the league? And can fans trust that the system is fair?
The NFL avoided punishment this time, but the public now knows what happened behind closed doors. Transparency may bring change, even if the ruling did not.
