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Eagles head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Brad Childress testified in defense of the suspension. Reid was said to have been on the stand four hours. The detour wasn’t a factor in the Eagles’ 27-17 loss to the Giants, according to Reid.
"You know what? That didn’t hinder us in this game," Reid said. "I’ve got great assistant coaches. They help me out in a time like this. All of those are excuses and had nothing to do with it."
Bloch has a history of reducing disciplinary actions but sticking to the spirit of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Eagles said Owens wouldn’t play for them again after nailing him with the four-game suspension Nov. 7. The team plans to pay Owens, and return him to the 53-man roster, but scratch him for the final five regular season games.
The union contends Owens should be given a chance to return to the team, whether the suspension is reduced, so he can earn incentives.
"There’s no authority under the collective bargaining agreement to both suspend the player for four weeks and then send him home for the rest of the season," Jeffrey Kessler, legal counsel for the NFLPA said after the hearing Friday. "The four games, itself, we don’t believe satisfy the legal standards."
Kessler also told reporters the Eagles must "restore the status" Owens was in and "that he has to be treated like any other player at that point.
"Now I guess if someone thinks there’s a better receiver on the Eagles, the coach doesn’t have to play him," Kessler said. "He wants to play for Philadelphia. He doesn’t have any problem with his teammates, the organization or the fans. He never expected this to be the result."
Several teammates have spoken out in support of returning Owens to the playing field, including middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter.
The locker room appears divided over the issue.
