Brady et al v. National Football League et al

Filing 35

DECLARATION of Peter Ruocco in Support of 34 Memorandum in Opposition to Motion, filed by Arizona Cardinals, Inc., Atlanta Falcons Football Club LLC, Baltimore Ravens Limited Partnership, Buccaneers Limited Partnership, Buffalo Bills, Inc., Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc., Cinncinnati Bengals, Inc., Cleveland Browns LLC, Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd., Denver Broncos Football Club, Detroit Lions, Inc., Football Northwest LLC, Green Bay Packers, Inc., Houston NFL Holdings LP, Indianapolis Colts, Inc., Jacksonville Jaguars Ltd., Kansas City Chiefs Football Club, Inc., Miami Dolphins, Ltd., Minnesota Vikings Football Club LLC, National Football League, New England Patriots, LP, New Orleans Louisiana Saints, LLC, New York Football Giants, Inc., New York Jets Football Club, Inc., Oakland Raiders LP, Panthers Football LLC, Philadelphia Eagles Football Club, Inc., Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc., Rams Football Co, LLC, The, San Diego Chargers Football Co., San Francisco Forty Niners Ltd., Tennessee Football, Inc., Washington Football Inc. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit(s) Tab 1, # 2 Exhibit(s) Tab 2). (Connolly, Daniel)

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Mar 2011 01 :28p

NFL players reach deal for workouts
Fox Sports 3/17111
Alex Marvez
NFL players now have an official avenue to conduct workouts under professional trainers
during the current work stoppage.
With players locked out from reporting to NFL teams, the NFL Players Association and
Athletes' Performance have agreed to a deal that will allow for monitored group and/or
individual sessions. This could prove especially helpful for players like quarterbacks and wide
receivers who want to work on their timing in the passing game or position groups hoping to
stay close during the work stoppage.
"(Players) want to be ready to go at a moment's notice," NFLPA executive George Ataliah said
Thursday at the NFLPA's annual meeting in Marco Island, Fla. "They're preparing themselves
and continuing to work out so if the (lockout) is Iffted, guys can go back to work and will be in
shape and you won't see a decline in the players' ability to perform at a very, very high level.
"That's one of the th'lngs going on: How do we make sure we're prepared to get back on the
field? That's our No, 1 goal here."
Athletes' Performance already was aligned with the NFLPA and annually trains many of the
top college prospects in preparation for the NFL draft. The company has state-of-the-art
facilities as well as trainers and medical staff who may be able to help prevent some of the
inJuries that could occur if players conducted workouts on their own.
Mark Verstegen, who founded the company in 1999, said players will have access to
"evaluation, education, training and therapy" through the internet or by attending one of the
five Athletes' Performance centers located across the U.S. Each in-person session would cost
players $500 apiece.
"Each guy can roll through for 2 1/2 days, leave to see their family and come back or stay
continuously through the offseason," said Verstegen, the NFLPA's director of player
performance since 2004. "Irs our culture through the NFL Players Association to make sure
the players have the best support.
"Teams created a great infrastructure for (offseason workouts). These players want to stay in
shape and be at their best. That's why we put all these systems into place."
Players from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles
and New Orleans Saints are among those that have etther planned or discussed conducting
their own workouts during the lockout. The work stoppage began last Friday with the
expiration of the collective bargaining agreement and the NFL locking out players after the
NFLPA decertified as a union.
Under rules of the lockout, NFL strength and conditioning coaches are among those league
employees prohibited from having contact with players.

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Ruocco Declaration Tab 2 - Page 1