Panthers' Russell Okung sees unfair labor claims against NFLPA dismissed

The National Labor Relations Board has dismissed Russell Okung's unfair labor claims against the NFL Players Association, attorney Peter Ginsberg confirmed to ESPN.

Ginsberg didn't comment on the next steps, but Okung, the Carolina Panthers left tackle, can appeal in the coming weeks.

The dismissal from NLRB regional director William B. Cowen states the evidence "did not contravene the employer-employee relationship, nor did it run afoul of the policies of the [National Labor Relations] Act," according to a letter obtained by NFL Network, which first reported the news.

Okung accused the players union of negotiating the Collective Bargaining Agreement -- which players ratified on March 15 by a 1,019-to-959 vote -- in bad faith.

The filing alleged NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith pushed the CBA vote through to the entire group of players despite objections and the disapproval of the NFLPA executive committee.

The NFLPA has vehemently disputed those claims.

Okung was a member of that executive committee, which voted 6-5 against recommending the proposal in February. Okung was poised to run for NFLPA president but bowed out in March, opting to support runner-up Michael Thomas, a veteran NFL safety.

Cleveland Browns center J.C. Tretter was named president on March 10.

Okung was vocal about his displeasure for a 17-game season, which was the biggest point of contention with the new CBA. The league can now implement a 17th game between the 2021 and 2023 seasons, and many players believed an additional game was an unnecessary risk for an already violent game.

In February, NFLPA player reps voted 17-14 in favor of the CBA, which didn't meet the two-thirds majority normally desired before graduating to a full player vote, but the NFLPA took the vote to its body for a simple majority anyway.

Information from ESPN's Cameron Wolfe was used in this report.