In a conversation between Thompson Coburn Partner Bob Wallace and retired sports journalist Jim Thomas on “After the Buzzer,” the two men discuss the upcoming NFL season and share their thoughts on teams, players, surprises, and potential disappointments. Wallace is the chair of the Sports Law practice at Thompson Coburn. After the Buzzer is a smart, probative…
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Very few punters are taken in the NFL draft. When they are, it’s a pretty good sign that they have a career in store for them in professional football. Matt Araiza was one of those rare punters. Nicknamed the “Punt God” when he played for San Diego State, where he was a consensus All-American, Araiza…
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The NFL confirmed last week that three players have been indefinitely suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy. One other player was suspended six games. Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry of the Indianapolis Colts and free agent Demetrius Taylor are suspended indefinitely through at least the conclusion of the 2023 season for betting on NFL…
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The Board of Player Representatives of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has elected Lloyd Howell as the Executive Director of the NFLPA. Howell will serve as the NFLPA’s 4th Executive Director, succeeding Ed Garvey (1971-1983), Gene Upshaw (1983-2008) and DeMaurice Smith (2009-current). “We are excited to have Lloyd lead our union into its next chapter and…
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(Editor’s Note: While we await the imminent selection of the NFLPA’s next executive director, this felt like a good time to share attorney Christopher Deubert’s piece from a May issue of Sports Litigation Alert. Chris is a senior writer for Hackney Publications.) By Christopher R. Deubert, Senior Writer The NFL Players Association’s (NFLPA) Board of Player…
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Even mild concussion can cause long-lasting effects to the brain, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge. Using data from a Europe-wide study, the team has shown that for almost a half of all people who receive a knock to the head, there are changes in how regions of the brain communicate with each…
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Sidley represented the State of New York/Empire State Development as lead counsel in its high-profile public-private partnership with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills to build a new US$1.54 billion state-of-the-art, 60,000-plus-seat stadium in Orchard Park, NY. The State is contributing US$600 million, under a 30-year lease, toward the project’s construction costs, with an additional US$250 million…
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Dear Commissioner Goodell, We write to express our grave concerns about the recent allegations in the New York Times by over thirty former employees of the National Football League, who described a workplace culture that is overtly hostile to women. We, the attorneys general of New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington State,…
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