Former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins has announced his retirement from the NFL after 16 seasons.

Shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday morning, Dawkins made his decision known via Twitter stating,

The Lord has blessed me to play in the NFL for 16 years. I would like to thank the Eagles & the Broncos 4 believing In me. I would like 2 thank all my teammates & Coaches that I have been blessed 2 go to battle with. Along with u, the fans 4 helping make my career 1 that i have enjoyed tremendously. In other words. I am announcing my retirement from the NFL. #BBTB

A 9-time Pro Bowler and 6-time All-Pro, Dawkins was a 2nd round pick for the Eagles in the 1996 NFL draft. Over the next 13 seasons, Dawkins accumulated 898 tacked, 34 interceptions, and 21 sacks while being one of the Eagles biggest emotional and physical defensive presences of all-time.

In a surprising move, the Eagles allowed Dawkins to leave the team as he signed a 5-year, $17 million deal with the Denver Broncos on February 28, 2009. Dawkins played three seasons for the Broncos and was named the 2009 and 2011 Pro Bowl teams.

Throughout his 16-year career, the 38-year old Dawkins accumulated 1,131 tackles, 26 sacks, and 37 interceptions.

According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles have an open invitation on the table for Dawkins to come back to Philadelphia and retire with the team.

Washington, D.C. – Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick appeared on Capitol Hill on Tuesday alongside the Humane Society to back legislation that would penalize those who knowingly attend animal fights and allow minors to attend.

The bill, H.R. 2492, titled, Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act of 2011, was introduced by Vick, Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the United States, and Representatives Tom Marino and Betty Sutton.

Vick drove to Washington, D.C. from Philadelphia on Tuesday morning to show his support for the bill.  He told the crowded room that holding spectators accountable for their actions will help dissauade animal fights from occurring.

“Since my case came to light, the laws against animal fighting have been upgraded,” Vick said. “And here’s another opportunity to strengthen the law and establish an even stronger deterrent.”

“Too many kids get involved in dogfighting, and it’s time to break this cycle,” Vick added. “Animal fighting is a dead-end road for the young men, and there’s nothing but terrible outcomes for the dogs placed in a pit to fight.”

To watch the full Michael Vick press conference on Capitol Hill, watch below:

As the NFL owners continue their day long informational meeting regarding the on-going labor negotiations, details of a potential new collective bargaining agreement have started to leak.

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com, commisioner Roger Goddell has informed owners of several details that have been negotiated in a new collective bargaining agreeement.

In the proposed agreement the players would receive a 48 percent share of “all league revenues.” Under the old agreement the players received nearly 60 percent of total revenues AFTER the league took $1 billion off the top of the leagues $9 billion revenue model. Revenue sharing had been one of the biggest negotiating hurdles during negotiations.

In the new model no money would be taken off the top by the owners. The players share would never fall below 46.5 percent of all league revenues.

In addition to the new revenue scale the two sides continue to negotiate on several key issues:

• A rookie wage scale will be part of the new deal but is not finalized
• There will be a new 16-game Thursday night schedule that will generate new revenue
• An 18-game regular season will not be part of the new deal but will remain a negotiable item
• Teams will be required to spend 90-93 percent of the salary cap
• Retired players will receive improved health benefits and pension funding from an expected increase in league revenue

The NFL and decertified players association are set to resume negotiations later this week.

Oneida, NY - Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress has been released from prison.

He was released at approximately 9am EST on Monday morning.

Burress, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, turned in his prison clothes for his own and left Oneida Correctional Institution early Monday morning.

He has spent the past 20 months and 14 days in Upstate New York’s correctional facility.

Burress was jailed back in 2008 on charges related to when he accidentally shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub with an unlicensed gun.

The former wide receiver will be an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any NFL team as soon as the lockout comes to a close.

NFL owners held a meeting in Chicago on Wednesday to discuss the league’s on-going labor dispute.

Commisioner Roger Goodell and league owners met to formulate a negotiating plan as the lockout reaches its 80th day.

However the surprise of the day was NFLPA* leader DeMaurice Smith and several players association officials were also on hand for the meeting.

It is the first time the two sides have met outside of mediation since immediately after the Super Bowl back in February.

According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen:

One source said any potential deal still was a ways away, however, the hope would be that the two sides could get something done sooner rather than later, potentially even later this month.

With the two sides needing to be in St. Louis on Friday, Chicago made sense as a logical meeting place. NFL owners, including Dallas’ Jerry Jones, New England’s Robert Kraft and Carolina’s Jerry Richardson, each were in Chicago along with Goodell.

The meetings were so secretive that, as of Wednesday night there, there were other NFL owners that didn’t know what was taking place.

The NFLPA was equally secretive, declining to respond to inquiries about the meeting and its leaders’ whereabouts.

Wednesday’s meeting was the first lockout related development in the past three weeks. The Eight Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear the NFL’s case against Judge Nelson’s injunction ruling on Friday, June 3. Mediation between the two sides is set to resume Tuesday, June 7.

The NFL announced on Tuesday that it is cancelling next months rookie symposium due to the ongoing labor dispute.

The symposium was scheduled to begin on June 26 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Although mini camps and OTAs have been missed the symposium is the first league-wide scheduled event to be removed from the NFL calendar. 

The symposium is designed to teach rookies life lessons on dealing with football, finances and their new lifestyle.

The league and players are next scheduled to appear in court on June 3 when the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear the NFL’s appeal of Judge Susan Nelson’s ruling to place an injunction on the lockout.  The two sides are set to resume mediation on June 7.

The two day mediation session between the NFL and its players has come to an end without a new collective bargaining agreement.

Albert Breer of the NFL Network reports that the talks have ended after two days.

NFL general counsel Jeff Pash announced that mediation will resume on June 7, days after the June 3 hearing before the Eighth Circuit on the appeal of Judge Nelson’s ruling to lift the lockout.

For now there will be absolutely no new football news until June 3 at the earliest.

The NFL owners and players will continue court-ordered mediation on Tuesday in efforts to bring the 63-day lockout to an end.

While a new deal is not expected to be negotiating during this round of negotiations, ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio reported Monday evening that the two sides were making progress.

The NFL has presented the NFLPA* with a new proposal, different than what was proposed back in March, to which NFLPA* director DeMaurice Smith dubbed “The worst deal in sports history.”

Lawyer Michael Hausfeld, who filed a separate lawsuit on behalf of retired players, told Paolantonio: “The players are considering their proposal and formulating a response. It’s not acceptable as is, but it’s a starting point.”

With the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling to grant a stay of execution, the leverage is currently with the owners. A new proposal made in “good faith” to the players could help bring the two sides together.

Former Heisman trophy winning running back Eddie George, cornerback Deion Sanders, and former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr  headline the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

A total of 14 players and two coaches will be included in this year’s class which was announced at an 11:30am EST press conference on Tuesday morning.

The class of 2011 includes:

• Ohio State running back Eddie George
• Florida State cornerback Deion Sanders
• Florida receiver Carlos Alvarez
• Texas defensive lineman Doug English
• Oregon State fullback Bill Enyart
• Alabama defensive lineman Marty Lyons
• Miami defensive lineman Russell Maryland
• Georgia defensive back Jake Scott
• Nebraska guard Will Shields
• Minnesota quarterback Sandy Stephens
• West Virginia linebacker Darryl Talley
• Oklahoma halfback Clendon Thomas
• Arizona defensive lineman Rob Waldrop
• Michigan State receiver Gene Washington
• Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr
• Air Force Head Coach Fisher DeBerry

George was a running back at Ohio State University from 1992 to 1995.  The former Abington High School standout holds numerous school records including rushing for 1,927 yards during the 1995 season, setting the single season school record.

“I wasn’t expecting it right now; I’m still in my 30s,” George, 37, said on ESPN after being introduced as the headline member of the class. “I thought it was something that happened when you get a little bit older. But I’ll take it.”

Sanders was an All-American cornerback at Florida State from 1985-88 before going on to have a hall-of-fame NFL career.  Carr won 75% of his games and the 1997 national championship in 13 seasons as Michigan’s coach.

On Day 62 of the NFL Lockout the owners have finally achieved their first major victory.

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has granted the NFL’s request for a stay of execution. The stay will be in effect until the NFL’s appeal of Judge Susan Nelson’s injunction ruling in favor of the players is heard by the court.

By granting the stay there will be no football activity of any kind until the Eighth Circuit rules on the appeal hearing scheduled for June 3.

The only way a new league year would begin before the middle of June is if the two sides are able to settle on a new collective bargaining agreement. The NFL and players resumed mediation on Monday morning.

This is a major victory for the NFL and its owners. By issuing the stay of execution it puts a hold on the execution of Judge Nelson’s injunction ruling and indicates that the Eight Circuit agrees with the NFL’s position that this is a labor dispute at its core, and not a litigation case.

The Eighth Circuit issued a 24-page ruling that can be read here.

“We have serious doubts that the district court had jurisdiction to enjoin the league’s lockout. Our present view is that Judge Nelson’s interpretation is unlikely to prevail. This is a case in which one party or other likely will suffer some degree of irreparable harm no matter how this court resolves the motion.”

The Eight Circuit Court of Appeals also stated that the harm to the players will be limited by the expedited appeal schedule, which will allow the case to be resolved “well before the beginning of the season.”

Since the beginning of the lockout on March 11 the “NFLPA” had continuously gained leverage. However with the ruling of a stay of execution in favor of the NFL, the owners are back in the driver’s seat.

It will be interesting to see how this development affects negotiations between the two sides moving forward.