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“If he’s willing to talk to [Manning] and [Brees] that way, what do you think it says about what he and the other owners think about the rest of the players?” the source said, rhetorically. “Now, it really only matters if [Richardson] is representing the opinion of 23 or even eight other owners, but it has to make you wonder.”

Richardson, who is the only former NFL player to own a team, has been considered one of the staunchest proponents of hard-line tactics in the current negotiations. Last March, Richardson addressed the rest of the NFL owners at the league’s annual spring meeting with a fiery speech. Richardson said the owners had to “take back our league” during the negotiations with players.

“We signed a [expletive] deal last time and we’re going to stick together and take back our league and [expletive] do something about it,” Richardson said, as reported by Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports.

That has been interpreted as a clear indication that Richardson and some other owners want to break the NFLPA and get players to give greater concessions. The owners are currently holding firm on a request to have an additional $1 billion in expenses be removed from the pool of shared revenue.

Currently, the NFL grosses approximately $9 billion annually. Of that, $1 billion is given to the owners off the top for expenses. After that, the remaining $8 billion is split with 60 percent ($4.8 billion) going to the players and 40 percent (another $3.2 billion for a total of $4.2 billion) going to owners.

Under the owners’ proposal, the first $2 billion would go to them. The owners have tried to sell that idea by saying the money would go toward reinvestment in the game to help grow the overall amount of money that is shared.

The players are currently unwilling to accept the owners’ proposal and are facing the likelihood of having the owners lock out the players after the March 3 deadline. In response, the union would likely decertify, leaving it vulnerable.

In that regard, Richardson’s comments to Manning could backfire on the owners. In 1987, for instance, the NFL was able to split the union in large part by creating what was known as the Quarterback Club, a marketing arm that led several top quarterbacks to stop supporting the union. In the case of Manning, who is not a player representative or member of the NFLPA’s executive board, his opinion carries great weight throughout the NFL. Last August, Manning said he would be completely supportive of the union’s cause at the proper time, but has largely stayed in the background.

Having him fully behind the union could be important to maintaining unity.

Sources: Panthers owner disses Manning, Brees - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
























Sources: Panthers owner disses Manning, Brees - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

xan

Manning should have responded, "What do you know about running a successful football club?"

Saint_LB

I wonder how many billionaire non-NFL owners are sitting back licking their chops at this situation. How about the YAFL...Yet Another Football League?

SapperSaint

"Oh no he din't"

LMAO! Great response!

papz

If they wanted to come to an accord, that condescending attitude to two of the games most respected ambassadors certainly didn't help the cause. They're going to need a muzzle for that guy if anything is going to get done. Someone with a more fiery attitude would have shot back with some nasty things to say.

QBREES9

And that dam Jackass played the game. Drew and Payton should have held up there Super Bowl Rings and wave them. With not the pinky or the index but the one you put up when you don't give a F*** when some Idiot like Mr Richardson open his mouth.

BringTheWood

He honestly couldn't have picked two worse men to make enemies with. Between the two of them there likely isn't a single man in the NFL not willing to step up to bat for them. The owners honestly seem to also forget that if there is a lockout, they lose money, and without being an economist or crunching the numbers, it would probably only take 1 season to equal the losses of just being agreeable. I guess being a billionaire isn't enough anymore, and here I am struggling to pay for my car and college.

Saint_LB

No...not better yet...

RailBoss

Probably why The Panthers had such a dismal season can't imagine his players negotiating contracts with him. No wonder that players like Peppers left town.

neugey

Move your team to LA Jerry or STFU!