Retirees' lawsuit against NFLPA dismissed

Minneapolis, MN – A lawsuit filed by former NFL players against the NFL Players Association has been dismissed.

A group led by former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Carl Eller said retired players lost money in last summer's collective bargaining process between owners and the NFLPA.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson issued a ruling that said the new agreement that ended last summer's NFL lockout gave former players significant and increased benefits.

"(T)here can be no dispute that a better package of benefits was in fact obtained for the retired players in the 2011 CBA as compared to those in the former CBA," Nelson wrote. "No jury could reasonably find that the active players did not do better by the retired players in the 2011 CBA."

The Eller group had argued that the NFLPA did not have the authority to negotiate with the NFL on terms of pensions, retirement and disability benefits regarding retired players.

Nelson, in her ruling, said the court was "empathetic to [the retirees] concerns," but that the current players did not act illegally during the negotiations.

"We are pleased with the decision by the court, which affirms the NFLPA's tireless commitment to supporting all former NFL players," the NFLPA said in a statement Wednesday. "We will continue our work to unite every member of the former player community, because when we stand together with a common agenda based on common principles, we can better protect our rights and advance our interests."