NFL Players Association Files Suit Against the NFL Coaches Association DeMaurice Smith Claims to be Executive Director

of the NFLCA
After claiming that De Smith is the Executive Director of the NFL Coaches Association and refusing to provide the NFL Coaches Association with its files and business records, the National Football League Players Association has sued the NFLCA to block the NFLCA's access to its bank accounts and to challenge Wm. David Cornwell's selection as the Executive Director of the NFLCA. On February 22, 2012, the NFLPA congratulated Cornwell on his appointment as the Executive Director of the NFLCA and promised to send the NFL Coaches Association its files and business records. Since then, the NFLPA has ignored their promise, attempted to control the affairs of the NFL Coaches Association through various claims and challenges (including the claim that De Smith is the Executive Director of the NFLCA), engaged in deceptive and obstructionists practices, and ignored the NFL Coaches Associations repeated demands for its property. The NFLPA was given until April 11, 2012 to comply with these demands and failed to do so. On April 13, the NFLPA raised for the first time the issue of an alleged debt of over $600,000. When the NFLCA demanded proof of the debt, the NFLPA sued the NFLCA to prevent it from accessing its bank accounts on April 17. Cornwell said, I do not know which is more absurd, the claim that De is the Executive Director of the NFLCA or the fact that the NFLPA is blocking us from using coaches' dues money to advance the interests of coaches. Instead of working with the NFL on retirement benefits, uniform insurance, and other important issues for NFL coaches, now we have to incur real debt to deal with De Smith and the NFLPA. De has not done anything for NFL coaches and there is no support for a continued association with the NFLPA. I think the lawsuit and the alleged debt is a smoke screen to prevent the NFLCA from breaking away from the NFLPA. I have seen no evidence that the NFLPA sought to collect this alleged debt when they thought De controlled the Coaches Association. First with the NFLPA filing a amicus brief in the name of the NFLCA in the Eight Circuit during the NFLPA's labor challenge and now with this lawsuit, this is the second time that De has asked us to ignore that the players we coach are acting against our interests through their union."

Wm. David Cornwell, Sr. Executive Director NFLCA

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