PFT PM: DeMaurice Smith talks collusion ruling and importance of NFLPA
PFT Live with Mike Florio
Mike Florio
4.3 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 7 August 2025
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Mike Florio talks to former NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith about his 14-year run with the union and his new book "Turf Wars".
0:30 - Smith on his new book, "Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America's Game"
2:18 - Smith's "welcome to the NFL moment" and how he learned to balance the union's relationship with the league
12:00 - Smith on his reaction to ruling that NFL encouraged teams to collude regarding guaranteed contracts
15:50 - What was Smith's proudest accomplishment at NFLPA? What's a do-over he wish he could get?
23:20 - Advice for interim NFLPA executive director David White
25:50 - When will we see an 18-game season?
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is probably the perfect time for the former executive director of the NFL Players Association have a book coming out. |
| 0:15.0 | Because if you haven't noticed, the NFLPA has been in the news a little bit lately. DeMores Smith joins us now, |
| 0:23.1 | the new book, Turf Wars, and let me get the title right, the fight for the Soul of America's |
| 0:28.7 | game. Brand new, just out this week. Congratulations. And thank you for being available today to discuss it. |
| 0:36.8 | Well, Mike, thank you. It's great to be on. You know, it was great working alongside you for being available today to discuss it. Well, Mike, thank you. |
| 0:37.6 | It's great to be on. |
| 0:38.7 | You know, it was great working alongside you for what? |
| 0:41.7 | 15, 15 years? |
| 0:44.8 | Long time. |
| 0:46.5 | Long time. |
| 0:47.5 | Long time. |
| 0:48.3 | Long time and a long time ago. |
| 0:50.6 | I love the epitaph of the book, and the quote is this, |
| 0:56.1 | until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter. |
| 1:02.3 | Why did you pick that line? |
| 1:05.0 | You know, Mike, I think, you know, for people like you and people like me who've, you know, literally are blessed to |
| 1:11.1 | to work in in the field of sport, you know, 75, 85% of the stories are one way. It is, it is |
| 1:22.0 | great to work in football, but, you know, the league has such a loud voice, has such a loud presence. The game is, |
| 1:30.4 | what, 92 of the top 100 shows every year. The shield drives the message. I wanted to write a story |
| 1:39.5 | that talked about football and sport and culture |
| 1:44.5 | from the perspective of someone who battled them for 15 years |
| 1:49.1 | and to tell the story of the players outside of what they do |
... |
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