Judge David Doty Who Helped Usher in NFL Free Agency Died Two Days Before 97th Birthday
NFL fans love seeing their favorite teams acquire their favorite players. However, in bygone days this wasn’t usually possible. And the players weren’t happy being chained to one team for most if not all of their careers. However, in 1987 the NFL world of football would be changed forever. Former defensive player Reggie White would take his case to court, and the NFL would never be the same again. However, Judge David Doty, who helped usher in NFL free agency, died two days before his 97th birthday.
In Week 2 of the 1987 NFL season a strike began. The NFL and NFL Players Association were unable to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement by the end of August. But what led up to the strike? Well, the players wanted the right to free agency, in addition to better pension benefits, severance, and the elimination of artificial turf. The free agency system that was in place at that time was hated by the players. It required compensation to go to a player’s former team, which had a devastating effect on player movement and, in turn, on salaries.
Naturally, the owners at that time, wanted to keep things just the way they were. However, the players had had enough of the system and were determined to change it. Something that the owners either didn’t know or didn’t believe was so serious. Therefore, the owners voted unanimously “to play through a player strike by fielding anyone willing to wear a uniform. This led to “scabs” playing in the NFL as Mike Tanier wrote in his book-length feature “Year of the Scab: The True Story of the 1987 Players Strike and Replacement Games.”
Judge David Doty Who Helped Usher in NFL Free Agency Died Two Days Before 97th Birthday
Needless to say, it was the players who ended up winning the war. Reggie White brought the lawsuit against the league that led to today’s free agency. On x.com Instantreplay gives a nice little summary of Judge Doty’s role in the conflict:
“Just for the record judge Doty did not make a ruling. He told the two sides to settle, or he would make a ruling that neither would like. The owners then agreed to free agency after four years for a salary cap and we never found out what his ruling would have been.”
Modern day players can thank Judge Doty for forcing the two sides to come to an agreement that was more equitable for the players. Judge Doty continued to be involved in the resolution of disputes arising under the CBA for years to come. Oddly enough, players are still fighting to be able to play on real grass instead of artificial turd. So, the fight from last century continues…
Condolences to the Doty family on the loss of long-serving Minnesota judge, David Doty, who changed the course of professional football.
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