NFL Labor Standoff: NFLPA, Top 17 Prospects to Boycott NFL Draft

The National Football League used to be the nation's most popular and strongest sports league. Now, in just a matter of a couple days, it's as weak as you can get. 

Ever since 5 p.m. last Friday, the NFLPA has decertified, and it became official that there is a work stoppage in the NFL.

Since the union's decertification, major NFL names, such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, have filed anti-trust lawsuits against the NFL, known as the "Brady v. NFL" case.

Also, the NFL commissioner has lowered his annual salary to $1—like he promised.

On a rather hectic day in the sports world, thanks to NCAA basketball's March Madness, the NFL made the news again—in negative fashion.

According to ESPN and multiple sources, the NFLPA is encouraging the top 17 prospects in the upcoming draft to not attend the event at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Now, don't get confused that the NFLPA is asking the prospects not to be drafted, just not to attend the event itself.

In the traditional NFL draft, the top picks would be called up by commissioner Roger Goodell and they would go up on stage and get their picture taken with their new team's jersey and hat. Following the introduction of being drafted, the player would walk off stage and then be interviewed by ESPN.

This year might be a little bit different.

Reportedly, if prospects do what the NFLPA is encouraging, the prospects will conduct a live stream on various social media Web sites or even different major market television stations. No one knows for sure.

It's really amazing how the nation's greatest league could fall apart so quickly. American football is the fastest growing sport worldwide and in a blink of an eye, the NFL and the sport has taken about 50 steps backwards.

NOTE: This article was first seen at PatriotsPlus.net. Be sure to follow Tony Santorsa on Twitter @TonySantorsa.