National Football League

Goodell to speak at rookie symposium

Published Jun. 28, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

The NFL isn’t sponsoring a rookie symposium, but that won’t keep Roger Goodell from addressing the draft class of 2011.

Goodell will speak to rookies Wednesday morning at the NFL Players Association’s rookie symposium, a league spokesman confirmed.

Goodell will appear at the request of NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith. Sports Illustrated reported Smith invited the NFL commissioner to the symposium and that both will be flying together from labor meetings in Minneapolis to attend the event. Goodell and Smith will then immediately return from Florida to Minneapolis to resume negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The trip seemingly indicates a further reduction in the contentiousness that led to the labor impasse and NFL lockout in mid-March. Both sides continue to meet on a regular basis in hopes of reaching a new labor pact before the cancellation of preseason and regular season games.

The NFLPA decided to hold a rookie symposium after the NFL cancelled its annual event in light of the lockout. Multiple media outlets have reported that 155 rookies (152 draft picks and three undrafted players) are in attendance for the three-day symposium in Bradenton, Fla.