Echoing the sentiments of his colleagues, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson tweaked the former players' union for taking the NFL labor dispute into the courtroom, but expressed optimism that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached before the regular season.
"It may take longer than we all had hoped, but New York Jets fans should know that a deal will get done and I remain confident that there will be NFL football in 2011,"
Johnson said Saturday in a statement released by the Jets. "Although I was very disappointed that the union chose legal maneuvering over negotiating, I am convinced that our differences can be resolved at the bargaining table."
In fact, the union decertified Friday and the owners countered by instituting a lockout. In addition, the players filed an antitrust lawsuit, imperiling the 2011 season and throwing the offseason into a state of chaos.
Jets guard Brandon Moore, one of the team's player representatives, took issue with the claim that the players preferred litigation over negotiation.
"I want people to know that the players, and our leadership, went there to do a deal,"
Moore told ESPNNY.com. "We wanted to do a deal as far back as '09. To question our desire to get a deal done, and that we wanted to take it to the courts ... why would we want to do that? We were happy with deal, they opted out."
"Decertification was the only tool we had,"
Moore continued. "We know for sure the league was prepared to lock us out because of the TV contract they negotiated. That's a fact; they were already planning for a lockout. ... The players wanted to do a deal all along. Nobody wanted to get a deal more than us. To question that is unfair."
Moore said the "main issue"
is the owners' refusal to provide financial transparency, adding: "They're asking for money back, but not showing the proof on why we should give it back. ... It's hard to trust a unit after the deal they did with the TV networks."
For the Jets, the lockout means 25 percent pay cuts for Rex Ryan and his coaching staff, along with general manager Mike Tannenbaum. The anticipated pay cut -- members of the organization learned of it several months ago -- is now in effect with the lockout, a team spokesman said. Non-contract employees are now required to take one furlough week -- unpaid -- per month.
"This is a fluid situation,"
the spokesman said. "We will obviously be evaluating our approach as events unfold."
The employees' lost wages will be recouped if no games are lost, according to the team. The 25 percent cut is within the guidelines of the lockout clause in each coach's contract, but Larry Kennan, the president of the NFL Coaches' Association, told ESPNNewYork.com last week that 25 percent was "very harsh."
Other teams, such as the New York Giants, are planning no pay cuts or furloughs, only hiring freezes.
The lockout also will affect the offseason conditioning program, which usually begins in mid-March. Curiously, the team refused to divulge the start date of the program. Because of the lockout, players are banned from team facilities.
"We care deeply about our players and will continue to work towards an agreement that is fair and reasonable for everyone -- the fans, the players and the teams,"
Johnson said. "The goal for the Jets will not change -- we are committed to bringing you a championship."
