Is Mike Brown trying to get his Cincinnati Bengals players to hate him? The owner of the Bengals is not exactly well-liked by fans due to his penny-pinching with the team. Now, Brown and the ownership is reportedly lobbying for Ohio officials to restrict compensation benefits for pro players. This info comes from a memo by the NFLPA that they sent out.
The email blast by the NFLPA also includes the exact language that the Bengals ownership is reportedly supporting, per ProFootballTalk. It's also worth noting that this doesn't just affect Cincy. The Cleveland Browns, the Cavaliers, and all of the other sports teams in Ohio will be affected by this change if it pushes through.
“Athletes who are under contract to play for a professional athletic team are not eligible to file for or receive a permanent partial disability award under this section.”
This is most likely a continuation of an ongoing case between the Bengals and some of their former players that was filed in 2012. Some Cincinnati players filed for worker's compensation in California instead of Ohio (presumably because it's easier to apply and be approved there). The ownership is filing a lawsuit saying that the players should be subject to Ohio laws instead of California. The players were granted compensation by California since they reside in the state.
As with most topics, this is extremely nuanced and needs to be understood a lot deeper. Brown isn't exactly the most well-liked owner (this was the owner of a team that did not have their own indoor practice facility, by the way), and owners in general seem to try and keep most of their money. However, it's also possible that the NFLPA is also making mountains out of molehills. Here's to hoping the full story gets uncovered in the next few days.
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