FanHouse NflRetiredPlayers

Representatives from the NFLPA and various retired players groups met today in Washington, D.C. as part of an effort by new NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith to welcome retired NFL players under the union's umbrella.

Smith himself did not attend the meeting. He was in Seattle, meeting with Seahawks players as part of his summer tour of minicamps. But he has been vocal since his election this spring about wanting to make sure the NFLPA represents retired players as well as active ones. The late Gene Upshaw, who preceded Smith as union chief, alienated retired players groups by openly stating that he believed the union represented active players only.

So far, the retired players seem to be welcoming Smith's efforts, even if they're not yet fully convinced.

DeMaurice Smith might be a long way from settling the NFLPA's differences with the league, but he appears to have made good on his pledge to unite the union with its retired players.

According to a report by Chris Mortensen on ESPN.com, the NFLPA will announce at a news conference Friday morning that it has agreed to settle the Herb Adderley lawsuit for nearly the full amount. Mortensen says the union has agreed to drop its planned appeal and pay roughly $26 million of the $28.1 million that a federal jury awarded to 2,056 players in a class action decision in November: