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Thursday 21 sepTember 2017
DeMaurice Smith re-elected as head of NFL players’ union

By BARRY WILNER 2,100 players and 32 player league’s lockout of them
AP Pro Football Writer reps who have been disen- in 2011. That summer, the
DeMaurice Smith has been franchised; 26 clubs didn’t sides reached agreement
re-elected as executive di- even have a representa- on a new 10-year CBA that
rector of the players’ union tive on the executive com- included, among other
in a special committee mittee. things, reductions in prac-
vote. “I talked to a number of tice and meeting times
Under guidelines passed player reps who were not and in how much contact
since his last election as NFL on the executive commit- was allowed in those prac-
Players Association head in tee and the feedback was tices.
2015, a 14-player selection they want a competition. The deal also allowed
committee could bypass a Overwhelmingly, they said NFL Commissioner Roger
full membership election. that I am a serious candi- Goodell to keep his pow-
That committee, made up date. ers in overseeing fines and
of the 11 members of the This Jan. 1, 2017, file photo, shows DeMaurice Smith, Executive “No one I talked to remem- suspensions in a variety of
NFLPA executive commit- Director of the NFL Players Association, walking along the bers having a big constitu- areas, including personal
tee plus the three longest- sidelines before an NFL football game between the Washington tional discussion about this conduct. Smith and the
serving player represen- Redskins and the New York Giants, in Landover, Md. (change), so it’s kind of a union have claimed nearly
tatives, reviews the sitting Associated Press mystery behind what hap- ever since that Goodell has
executive director. That mittee has unanimously But attorney Cyrus Mehri, pened with the amending abused those powers, and
group can then call for an selected DeMaurice Smith who had launched a cam- of the constitution. they currently are fighting
election to keep the in- to continue in the role of paign to oppose Smith in a “I also feel the union has lost the league in court over
cumbent in office, and the executive director. Con- general election in March, a lot because they don’t Cowboys running back
vote must be unanimous. gratulations to De and we called the re-election “a have a leader with legiti- Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game sus-
The 14-0 vote took place know there is more work to non-democratic process” macy because this was a pension under the personal
Tuesday night. be done.” and vowed to continue non-democratic process.” conduct policy.
“After a comprehensive Added Smith: “The union working toward having a A union spokesman de- But league spokesman Joe
and professional process in centered on player lead- full election of the mem- clined to respond to Meh- Lockhart on Wednesday
line with our constitution,” ership. I am proud of their bership in March. ri’s comments. congratulated Smith on his
NFLPA President Eric Win- commitment, humbled by “This was a very closed Smith was elected to re-election while avoiding
ston said in a statement, their trust in me and hon- process,” Mehri said. “This the post in 2009 and led getting into the politics of
“the NFLPA selection com- ored to serve.” is less about me than the the players through the it.q