National Football League

No new deadline in NFL antitrust case

Published May. 23, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

A federal judge has rejected the NFL's request for more time to file a response in a pending lawsuit filed by its locked-out players.

The NFL had asked for a July 6 deadline to answer a lawsuit filed by current players who claim the league is violating antitrust laws through monopolistic labor practices. The lawsuit has since been amended to included complaints from retirees led by former Hall of Famer Carl Eller.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeanne Graham ruled Monday that the NFL must answer by June 6.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments June 3 on the legality of the ongoing lockout.

''The court acknowledges that the injunction of the lockout is on appeal, but there are other significant factors weighing strongly in favor of moving forward with the rest of the case,'' Graham wrote. ''Regardless of the ruling on appeal, this case is likely to proceed'' on other grounds.