Report - Arbiter ruled for NFL in grievance vs. NFLPA on RB advice - ESPN

An arbiter in February ruled in favor of the NFL in a grievance that the NFL Players Association, including then-president JC Tretter, encouraged running backs to «exaggerate» injuries to increase leverage during contract disputes.

The ruling made by Sidney Moreland, based on hearings held in 2024, had not been made public until it was revealed by the «Pablo Torre Finds Out» podcast Thursday.

«The Arbitrator upheld the Management Council's grievance in its entirety and found that Mr. Tretter's statements violated the CBA by improperly encouraging players to fake injury. As a result, he prohibited Mr. Tretter and the union from such conduct in the future,» the NFL said in a statement to Pro Football Talk. «The NFL did not allege that any individual player ever feigned injury. We are grateful for the arbitrator's thorough review of the evidence and order enforcing the CBA.»

The NFL said in a statement to Pro Football Talk that it informed owners and team executives of the ruling at this year's annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.

The NFL filed its grievance on Sept. 11, 2023, and said the NFLPA made the suggestion to running backs in a Zoom meeting. The NFL wanted the union to «cease and desist from such improper conduct.»

The Associated Press reported on the grievance in September 2023, citing a memo sent to the NFL's management council executive committee. In the memo, the NFL said that any player who took the union's advice and faked an injury would be violating the collective bargaining agreement.

Tretter appeared on a podcast earlier that year and made comments that were used in the arbiter's ruling. In that appearance on former NFL player Ross Tucker's podcast in July 2023, Tretter spoke openly about the