Ravens' Marlon Humphrey: NFLPA Exec DeMaurice Smith '100 Percent' Favors Owners
February 24, 2021
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey posted on Instagram that he believes NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith "100 percent favors owners over players."
The comment was in response and reference to an appearance on television from ESPN's Seth Wickersham on Outside the Lines after he and Don Van Natta Jr. wrote an in-depth piece on Smith and his legacy.
Numerous NFL players notably criticized the new collective bargaining agreement between the NFLPA and NFL, which was approved in March.
Of note, Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Russell Okung filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Smith and the NFLPA amid the CBA negotiations last March. He offered an explanation for why.
Players were notably heavily split on the new CBA, with Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt notably against it. Humphrey saw both sides of it but was more disappointed in the amount of players who didn't vote.
Smith was elected as the NFLPA's Executive Director in March 2009. He has negotiated a pair of collective bargaining agreements for players, including one in July 2011 that occurred following an owner-imposed four-and-a-half month work stoppage.