National Football League

Union boss rejects 18-game NFL season

Published Mar. 9, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

There had been speculation in recent days that the NFL Players Association might give in to an 18-game season, but that notion was shot down by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith.

"First of all, the league has never presented a formal proposal for 18 games," Smith told SI.com. "But more importantly, it's something that our players don't want. Eighteen games is not in the best interest of our players' safety, so we're not doing it."

In other labor news, NFL.com reported that the entire NFL labor committee, excluding New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, is expected to be at Thursday’s CBA bargaining sessions in Washington. Kraft had a previous commitment and is out of the country.