Reports on Monday suggested that 17 top prospects had been urged by the union to opt out of showing up at the draft in New York, with suggestions that the NFLPA may instead host a concurrent event where drafted players would be welcomed by new team-mates instead of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
However, Atallah, the union’s assistant director of external affairs, stated on his Twitter account: “The NFLPA is not asking anyone to 'boycott' anything. The NFL Draft is special. Players and their families will be in NYC. It just may be different. We will provide details when we can.”
The NFL is still expecting the draft to go ahead as scheduled from April 28-30 despite having locked out the players after the League’s collective bargaining agreement with the union expired on Friday. The NFL on Monday said it was up to the invited players whether to attend the draft, to be held at Radio City Music Hall.
Goodell, speaking on NFL Total Access Tuesday, said: “One of the things that makes the NFL Draft so great is that it's an opportunity for these great young players to realise their hopes and dreams. Anyone that would interfere with all the hard work that they've put in to walk across that stage and become an NFL draft choice...I just don't think that's in the best interest of the young men and their families that have worked so hard to get to that stage and get to that opportunity.”
Goodell added: “Clearly that is not something the fans are going to want. They watched the draft in great numbers; as you know 45 million people watched the draft last year.”
