Pablo Torre Finds Out The Sporting Class: Are NFL Players Ready to Strike?
Mar 27, 2026
David Samson, former MLB executive and podcaster, brings sports business and negotiation savvy. Domonique Foxworth, ex-NFL cornerback and former NFLPA player-president, brings union leadership perspective. They debate union leadership, revenue ventures, leverage in bargaining, decertification as a tactic, and how to rebuild player organizing and commitment.
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How External Hires Blew Up Institutional Memory
- Foxworth recounts internal debates about hiring external executive directors after Gene Upshaw's death.
- He says the NFLPA historically avoided outside hires, and losing institutional memory hurt negotiation capacity.
Unions Work Like Social Movements
- Successful players unions must be social-movement organizations, not corporate clones.
- Domonique Foxworth argues winning requires member commitment and willingness to endure pain longer than owners, not more lawyers or slick corporate deals.
Prioritize Member Solidarity Over Revenue Schemes
- Build member solidarity and protect past sacrifices before pursuing commercial revenue strategies.
- Foxworth warns revenue arms and corporate tactics can erode loyalty needed to sustain a long work stoppage.