TURF WARS

The contact sport of labor negotiations.

Smith, executive director of the NFL players’ union from 2009 to 2023, depicts an industry awash in bad blood. Players have “visceral disgust” for Commissioner Roger Goodell, the highly paid “Prince Valiant” for “narcissistic” team owners, who “hate one another” and view neither players nor “the general public as human” but as “commodities” and “customers.” Smith took the job in what looked like a hopeful new era epitomized by Barack Obama’s presidency, but his “idealism” was destroyed by his dealings with the powerful men who run the game. Smith, who is Black, says a team owner called him “uppity.” A coach used racist language to mock him. The ensuing controversy over the latter, following George Floyd’s murder, “broke me,” writes Smith, recounting his awakening from “lifelong denial” about the scope of racial discrimination. In response, he’s “finished holding my tongue.” Indeed, Smith divulges that "a prominent owner confessed to me that the league had broken federal anti-trust laws by coming to a secret handshake agreement that, two years earlier, had denied players millions of dollars they were contractually entitled to.” Smith’s tenure included relative labor peace, thanks to his negotiation of a long-term collective bargaining agreement and breakthroughs on player safety, salary guarantees, and licensing revenue. Adding a game to each team’s schedule proved less popular with players, some of whom “turned on me.” Smith includes memorable glimpses of star players. He’d rather “run into traffic” than talk on the phone with Aaron Rodgers. When Smith visited Tom Brady’s house, he was offered his pick from a selection of Ugg slippers. Smith also shares fascinating anecdotes about the intrigue surrounding union votes and how some influential players are increasingly susceptible to “the misinformation virus.”

Receipts in hand, a longtime NFL players’ rep candidly recounts his battles with the league.