At least 10 staffs have now distanced themselves from the brief filed by the NFL Coaches Association with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week supporting the players in the ongoing labor dispute.
The Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets were the latest coaching staffs to join the list.
In a statement, Eagles coach Andy Reid said: "The Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff was not aware that a brief was being filed by the NFL Coaches Association in the 8th Circuit Court against the NFL Owners last week. We were surprised by the filing and do not support it in any way."
On the team's website, the Bears' staff stated: "The Chicago Bears coaching staff was not made aware of the brief filed with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals by the National Football League Coaches Association."
Chiefs coach Todd Haley told the Kansas City Star that, "Nobody was aware that it was going to happen. This was not on behalf of the coaches."
The Washington Redskins were the first staff to disagree with the brief last week, and the Cowboys, Jaguars, Rams, Saints and Texans have all said they were unaware of the brief or flat out disagreed with it.
NFLCA executive director Larry Keenan said coaching staffs were notified about the brief via email, and earlier this week added that he didn't regret filing the brief. Keenan said he wouldn't be concerned unless there were a "whole bunch of teams (protesting)."
With seven teams joining that group in the past two days, that now makes nearly one-third of the league's coaching staffs.
In a letter to the organization signed by passing game coordinator/tight ends coach John Garrett, per the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys' coaching staff wrote: "The Dallas Cowboys' coaching staff did not approve of the brief filed with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals by the National Football League Coaches Association. We did not provide Larry Kennan with the authority to file such brief on our behalf and do not agree with the brief's position. Like everyone involved in the NFL, we are looking forward to a new CBA and the start of the 2011 NFL season."
The Houston Texans' staff echoed a similar sentiment.
"Our coaching staff didn't approve the contents of the brief files by the Coaches Association," coach Gary Kubiak said, per the Houston Chronicle. "The brief didn't reflect the views of our coaching staff. We support our organization."
Meanwhile, general manager Billy Devaney said the Rams' coaches didn't know anything about the brief when it was filed.
"They were surprised by this being filed," Devaney told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "They assured me they weren't informed or consulted about it."
One issue is not all of the 32 coaching staffs are members of the NFLCA. That includes the New Orleans Saints, and linebackers coach Joe Vitt told the New Orleans Times Picayune that the Saints' staff was "appalled" by the brief.
"It was awfully presumptuous on their part that they would represent all the coaches on our staff," Vitt said earlier this week. "We're supporting the owners. I've said this a million times, our organization has been built on trust. (Owner Tom) Benson has been great to us. Unequivocally, we support our ownership."
The U.S. 8th Circuit of Appeals granted the NFL owners' request for a stay of the injunction to lift the lockout, and is scheduled to hear arguments from both sides Friday. A ruling is then expected to take a few weeks.
The brief said NFL coaches are suffering irreparable harm due to the lockout, citing the inability to prepare properly for the season and the increased risk of failure the eight new coaches face.
The brief stated: "Coaches who cannot produce immediate results suffer irreparable harm. They must uproot their families to seek employment elsewhere, and they have difficulty overcoming the perception of failure. The hours and effort demanded of assistant coaches are justified only by the prospect of lucrative and stable employment that follows proven success. Failure at an early stage of one's career, however, can falter career aspirations for many subsequent years."
In a statement last week, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, "The Coaches Association offices with the Players Association in Washington. So this comes as no surprise."
