NFL negotiator says 18-game schedule is key to new labor agreement

The head of the NFL’s negotiating team says it will be much easier to reach a new labor agreement with the players’ union if the accord includes an 18-game regular season.

“It’s something that both sides recognize the value of, and so both sides will work hard to incorporate it into the new agreement,” Jeff Pash, the NFL’s executive vice president of labor and chief counsel, said Thursday in an interview with the Associated Press.

Pash said the league is “focused on a full 2011 season” and the owners want to have a deal in place “well before” the summer.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires in March, and the union’s executive director, DeMaurice Smith, has said he believes owners are preparing for a lockout. In a letter sent to players last week, Smith advised members to save their last three game checks in case next season is canceled. The NFL has not missed games because of labor problems since 1987, when the players went on strike.

“If both sides are equally committed and equally focused,” Pash said, “then there’s no reason why we can’t get an agreement.”

Pash doesn’t have a drop-dead date in mind for getting a deal done in time to avoid missing games.

“I haven’t even begun to think about it,” he said, “because we’re focused on getting an agreement. We’re focused on a full 2011 season. That’s where our head is.”

Asked whether the season could be played if there is not a new CBA in place until the summer, Pash replied: “The goal is to have an agreement well before that.”

He continued: “We have every incentive to get an agreement as soon as we can. We’ve said, we’ve told the union, it’s been public — if there is extended uncertainty, it’s costly for both sides. It’s costly for us, and it’s costly for the players. So there is every incentive to try to reach an agreement sooner rather than later, and that’s what our focus is. Are we going to do it? I can’t guarantee that.”

Pash declined to provide details on where the negotiations stand right now. He listed the most prominent issues as economics, the 18-game season, the rookie salary system and free-agency rules.

Pash believes the back-and-forth the sides already have had about increasing the regular season from 16 to 18 games demonstrates they are aware of that subject’s importance to the talks. He said the NFL and union “exchanged detailed proposals” and had “detailed discussions” on that topic and added he thinks they’ll “continue to do so.”

“It’s a season that would deliver more value to the fans. It would allow a lot of growth opportunities that don’t exist with the current structure, and those growth opportunities would be beneficial for the players as well as for the clubs,” Pash said. “There is a recognition that it is realistically an easier agreement to reach in the context of an 18-game regular season.”

Chiefs mum on Cassel’s status

So if a guy has an appendectomy on Wednesday, can he play football on Sunday? What about the next Sunday? Might he be out the rest of the year?

Since the news broke that Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel underwent an appendectomy this week, speculation has abounded about when he’ll be able to return for the AFC West-leading Chiefs, who face division rival San Diego on Sunday. Reporters hurried to medical experts and fans made it a dominant topic around water coolers and on sports radio.

Chiefs Coach Todd Haley, who at first characterized Cassel’s absence as “an illness,” refused on Thursday to say what his status might be.

“I appreciate the desire for all the Cassel questions that are probably out there,” Haley said. “But I’m just going to keep it as I always do. He’ll be listed as out today on the injury report, meaning he did not practice. Then we’ll have his status tomorrow. I’ll just leave it at that.”

Jets coach meets one-on-one with Sanchez

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan met with Mark Sanchez on Thursday — a rare one-on-one sit-down — to discuss football and other things with the slumping quarterback.

“This isn’t a huge thing,” Ryan said, joking that they would share his favorite cuisine. “It’s a lunch date, so I can eat Mexican food with him.”

Actually, Ryan wanted to meet with Sanchez to discuss the Jets’ next opponent, Miami, since the coach has familiarity with how Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan calls games from their days together on Baltimore’s staff.

“It was more of a big-picture conversation regarding schemes and what they like to do,” Sanchez said. “It’s always helpful talking football with Rex because you spend so much time in offensive meetings and discussing our approach that it’s good to get a defensive perspective regarding what that side of the ball is trying to accomplish.”

Ryan will meet again with Sanchez next Thursday before the Jets take on Pittsburgh to share some pointers about Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s scheme.

Sterger won’t sue Favre if NFL punishes him

A spokesman for the former New York Jets game hostess who allegedly received inappropriate photos and phone messages from Brett Favre says she won’t sue the Minnesota Vikings quarterback if he’s punished by the NFL.

Jenn Sterger’s manager, Phil Reese, said Thursday that his client would like the league to “implement a program” to prevent unwanted advances — similar to those she’s alleging Favre made.

The alleged messages from Favre to Sterger were sent in 2008, Favre’s only season with the Jets.

Reese said Sterger wants the league to discipline Favre before his career ends. “It’s not a money story,” Reese said, adding his client’s goal is some acknowledgment that Favre was in the wrong.

Sterger’s attorney has said the NFL has concluded its investigation and sent the findings to the commissioner’s office and league lawyers for review. The NFL is not commenting on the status of the investigation.

Favre has said this season will be his last. There are four regular-season games remaining. The Vikings (5-7) play host to the New York Giants this weekend, with Favre’s status uncertain because of a sprained throwing shoulder. He has started 297 straight games, an all-time record.

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Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy expects left tackle Chad Clifton to play in Sunday’s game at Detroit. Clifton sustained a concussion in Sunday’s victory over San Francisco, but did not show symptoms until Monday, according to the team…. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Ohio will embark on a $23.6-million expansion and renovation, the largest in its history. The renovation and expansion is scheduled for completion in 2013, the hall’s 50th anniversary. It draws nearly 200,000 visitors yearly.