Ravens Kicker Wants Union Head Replaced

Matt Stover, the veteran place kicker for the Baltimore Ravens, is leading an attempt to overthrow Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players Association.

Stover sent an e-mail in recent days to players who serve as union representatives, along with members of the union's 10-player executive committee, detailing his plans for selecting a new executive director by next spring to replace Upshaw, who has held the position since 1983 and has indicated no intention of stepping down before the upcoming labor negotiations with team owners.

Reached by telephone yesterday, Stover confirmed that he had sent the message but declined to say why he wants Upshaw replaced.

"I'm just going to respect the process of our leadership, our staffs and our committee and keep this private," Stover said. "There are a lot of reasons for that. You saw the e-mail, and I'll let it stand at that. . . . I'll take it through the channels I want to take it through."

Stover also issued a written statement through the Ravens in which he said, "It was certainly not my intention for my private e-mail to a select group to become public."

Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, a member of the union's executive committee, said in a telephone interview that he didn't know how much support among players any movement might have. Dawkins said he does not support forcing out Upshaw, but does support an effort to identify Upshaw's successor.

"What we definitely need to do is identify who the next person is," Dawkins said. "Gene has done an excellent job. I won't be the first one or the only one to tell you that. But it would be a smart thing for us to have the next person identified and ready. I think that's smart for any business to do. It's no different from what the owners did when they started talking about who would replace [then-commissioner] Paul Tagliabue when he retired."

Of Stover's desire to have Upshaw replaced next March, Dawkins said: "I haven't talked to Matt personally about it. I don't know exactly what his views are. People are entitled to their opinion."

Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae, the newly elected president of the union, said in a written statement: "Matt Stover's letter does not reflect the view of the entire executive committee or the board of player representatives. The board is in the process of preparing for the possibility of a work stoppage and understands the importance of having Gene, with his experience and history, lead the direction of the NFLPA."

Washington Redskins defensive lineman Phillip Daniels said: "Obviously Matt has some strong feelings. Evidently he feels a certain way about our leadership, but I don't think every player is going to agree with him. I know I don't, and I know a lot of other guys don't. Just my opinion, but I think Gene has done a great job for us. . . . With all that going on, it's just not the time for something like this."

Two other players familiar with the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they wanted to find out more, said they thought Stover's measure had little support.

Upshaw declined to comment, beyond characterizing Stover's effort as "not worth commenting on." Upshaw is under contract through 2010. He has said he expects the owners to exercise a re-opener clause in the labor deal by November, setting the stage for a possible work stoppage in 2011.

Upshaw has been criticized by some former players for his handling of their pensions and benefits. But several owners have given Upshaw high marks for his work negotiating the labor agreement that gives the players 60 percent of league revenues, saying they want to reopen negotiations because they regard the deal as overly favorable to the union.

Stover wrote in his e-mail, which was first reported yesterday by ESPN, that "I fully realize this is just [one] man." But he also referred to a conference call of player representatives last week and said he was not the only participant who "felt that it is time for a change."

He wrote that a subcommittee should be formed to interview candidates and a new executive director should be chosen in March 2009.

Staff writer Jason Reid contributed to this report.