The NFL Players Association is considering whether to award its executive director, DeMaurice Smith, a $1 million bonus for negotiating its new 10-year collective bargaining agreement with the league this year, according to several people familiar with the deliberations. Those people, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the discussions are ongoing, said there is considerable, but not unanimous, support among the players on the union’s ruling executive committee to award the bonus to Smith. The executive committee could make a decision as soon as the next few days, though there is some sentiment to delay the decision. Smith did not take a salary during the NFL lockout, which lasted from March until July, and did not receive a bonus in either 2009 or 2010, one person said. His contract expires in March. Source: Associated Press
