The NFL’s in-house arbitration process isn’t dead, but it’s on the verge of a TKO.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the NFL’s petition for appeal in the Brian Flores case.
From the 25-page document submitted by the league in January 2026, this is the question the NFL presented to the U.S. Supreme Court: “Whether an arbitration agreement governing disputes in a professional sports league is categorically unenforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act because it designates the league commissioner as the default arbitrator and permits the commissioner to develop arbitral procedures.”
The league wisely made the question narrow, in order to avoid the possibility that the league’s arbitration process would be taken to its logical extreme. If the NFL can make the Commissioner the default arbitrator for any employment disputes or other legal claims made by employees, every American corporation could make the CEO the default arbitrator for any employment disputes or other legal claims made against it by its employee.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit had found that the NFL’s arbitration agreement was not enforceable due to the Commissioner’s power over the process. The decision not to take the appeal doesn’t operate as an agreement by the Supreme Court; however, if the Supreme Court wanted to endorse the league’s longstanding in-house process, it could have taken up the case and then reversed the outcome.
The current legal posture doesn’t prevent the NFL from arguing its position in cases that arise in other courts. However, there’s now a clear path to suing the NFL and avoiding the mandatory arbitration clauses in non-player employment contracts by suing the NFL in New York federal court — since the Southern District of New York falls within the Second Circuit.
As to Flores, the development means that his claims against the NFL, Dolphins, Broncos, Giants, and Texans (and the claims made by Steve Wilks against the Cardinals and Ray Horton against the Titans) will be resolved by the judicial process. With full discovery. And, absent a settlement or a successful motion for summary judgment, with a trial in open court. All facts will be introduced and developed and exposed to public scrutiny.
That could spark a settlement, sooner than later. The league uses arbitration due in part to its desire to keep its business secret. Unless it goes away, the Flores case could result in all sorts of things the NFL would rather us not know playing out in the public eye.
Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto had a career-high 14 sacks last season despite playing almost the whole year with a large cast over his right hand and wrist. But when he looks to 2026, his focus isn’t on being physically healthier.
Bonitto told Luca Evans of the Denver Post that his continued growth as a player will be about the mental side of the game.
“I mean, it really has nothing to do with the physical part of it,” he said.
Bonitto has led the Broncos in sacks the last two years, which means opposing teams base their pass protection schemes on keeping him away from their quarterbacks. Bonitto says he can still work on how he can respond to that, both by making plays and by opening opportunities for his teammates.
“Being able to see what it’s like to actually have a protection plan around me,” Bonitto said. “And how to work through those things and continue to find ways to make plays, and also help other guys make plays while we’re at it — while I’m commanding those chips and double-teams, and stuff like that.”
Bonitto signed a four-year, $106 million contract at the start of last season, and he gave the Broncos their money’s worth in 2025. He’s eager to get even better in 2026.
The Broncos have signed both of their fourth-round picks from this April’s draft.
They announced the signing of running back Jonah Coleman on Wednesday. They also confirmed that they have wrapped up offensive lineman Kage Casey’s four-year rookie deal.
Coleman had 156 carries for 758 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns during his final season at Washington. He also caught 31 passes for 354 yards and two scores.
J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are the top two returning backs for the Broncos, which will leave Coleman to battle with Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie and Cody Schrader for spots deeper on the backfield depth chart.
The Broncos are set to sign another one of their draft picks.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the team has agreed to terms with fourth-round offensive lineman Kage Casey. Casey is expected to sign the four-year deal on Tuesday.
Casey was a three-year starter at left tackle at Boise State and was a first-team all-conference selection in the Mountain West in his final two seasons at the school. The Broncos have Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey returning at tackle, but there’s been some talk of Casey getting a look at guard as well.
The Broncos have two other unsigned picks in third-round defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim and fourth-round running back Jonah Coleman.
When quarterback Malik Willis agreed to sign with the Dolphins in March, Jaylen Waddle was on the team and was expected to be the club’s leading receiver.
But that changed in a hurry, as days later, Miami traded Waddle to Denver for several draft picks.
How did Willis react to the news of the trade?
“It was unfortunate for sure, to say the least,” Willis told reporters in his Tuesday press conference, via transcript from the team. “That’s a really good player and I would have loved to play with him, but that’s above my pay grade, brother. Out of my hands.”
While Willis’ group of receivers is certainly different without Waddle, the quarterback is still establishing chemistry now during the later stages of the offseason program with players like Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert.
“I think all of them have been doing a great job from top to bottom,” Willis said of Miami’s wideouts. “Everybody has the right mindset to come in and work and just do the best that they can to show what they can do.
“I feel like it’s an opportunity for all of us. It’s a bunch of new faces, whether it’s rookies or guys that have been here, but we’re all in front of new guys for the first time, and we got to try to continue to show what we can do.”
