Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser wrote a letter to Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt last week, asking owners to pledge against a potential lockout.
"I call upon the owners to announce to the fans that they will not lock out the players. The players already have pledged to not strike," wrote Funkhouser. "By making the parallel commitment, the owners would create the breathing room for a deal to be struck. This is common sense if the owners truly want to keep the game going, as Commissioner Goodell has stated."
The Kansas City Star printed the letter Monday.
The way we see it
It's interesting to see a political figure taking the side of the players in the current negotiations, and Funkhouser does bring up a valid point that the players will not go on strike. However, it will take a lot more than a letter from the mayor to keep the owners from locking out the players.