NFL wins appeal of collusion ruling + Roger Goodell on Australia game (4/13 Hour 2)

This Monday edition of PFT Live dives into several major NFL stories, beginning with the fallout from a fatal car accident involving 2024 draft prospect Reuben Bain Jr., which has now become public after being known to teams for years. The hosts debate the ethics of reporters withholding such information, criticizing the hypocrisy of those who claim to have known but didn’t report it. They explore how teams use digital databases to access off-field incidents and how such knowledge can influence draft decisions—using Jalen Carter’s 2023 draft fall as a parallel. The conversation shifts to the NFL’s recent victory in the collusion grievance appeal, where the league was found to have invited teams to avoid fully guaranteed quarterback contracts, though no actual collusion was proven. The hosts highlight the irony that the Ravens offered Lamar Jackson two fully guaranteed three-year deals, which he rejected—raising questions about why he didn’t take them. They discuss the potential for the NFLPA to weaponize this ruling with the DOJ over antitrust concerns. Later, Roger Goodell defends the NFL’s decision to open the season in Australia, dismissing coach Kyle Shanahan’s concerns about travel and jet lag, while the hosts express skepticism about the competitive fairness of such a move. The episode closes with updates on fifth-year options for 2023 draft picks, including Bijan Robinson and C.J. Stroud, and a discussion on the looming NFL referees’ labor dispute, with concerns about the league’s media influence and the imbalance in bargaining power.