The NFL Players Association is very pleased with today's Supreme Court ruling in the American Needle Inc. case.

"Today’s Supreme Court ruling is not only a win for the players past, present and future, but a win for the fans. While the NFLPA and the players of the National Football League are pleased with the ruling, we remain focused on reaching a fair and equitable Collective Bargaining Agreement. We hope that today also marks a renewed effort by the NFL to bargain in good faith and avoid a lockout." - DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director, National Football League Players Association

"This decision validates the wins of former players like Bill Radovich, Reggie White, Freeman McNeil and other former NFL Players who had successfully sued the NFL for players’ rights such as free agency and fair compensation. This keeps their wins alive for the players who came after them and who will play this game tomorrow." - Kevin Mawae, President of the NFL Players Association.

"Today’s Supreme Court decision strongly affirms that the NFL must play by the same rules other businesses do. Once again, the Court has rejected—as it should have—a sweeping exemption for the NFL. The Court’s decision affirms our belief that the NFL should not be allowed to operate as a monopoly to the detriment of fans, players and the government. In a country where competition and fair play are so highly-valued, the Court wisely declined to give the NFL a leg up by usurping the role of Congress and ignoring both the letter and the spirit of its anti-trust laws." - Richard Berthelsen, General Counsel of the NFLPA.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com thinks the NFLPA is making a bigger deal out of this ruling than it actually warrants.