NBC sports analyst Peter King and New York Daily News sports columnist Mike Lupica discuss the impact of fan outrage on the NFL's negotiations with the its referees, and what the league won and lost from the rocky three weeks leading to the deal.

When Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo came out as one of the first professional athletes to publicly support marriage equality, many fans and other pros applauded his decision to speak up. But Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Democratic Maryland delegate, had a different opinion. He wrote to the Ravens administration that they should “inhibit such expressions" from employees. 

In response, Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe wrote his own scathing letter to Burns. Two excerpts:

“As I suspect you have not read the Constitution, I would like to remind you that the very first, the very first amendment in this founding document deals with the freedom of speech.”

“As recently as 1962 the NFL still had segregation, which was only done away with by brave athletes and coaches daring to speak their mind and do the right thing.”

Ed Schultz couldn’t read the entire strongly-worded letter on television, but in his exclusive interview with Kluwe on Friday’s The Ed Show, he asked the kicker what motivated him to respond to an issue happening practically on the other side of the country.

“It’s an issue of free speech and of civil rights. The message the delegate was sending out was not one that any progressive in this day in age would want to see in our government,” Kluwe said. “It’s just not the right message.”

The Ravens organization issued a statement in support of Ayanbadejo’s right to freedom of speech under the first amendment. Kluwe said that's the right call:

“I think it’s great the Ravens came out and supported him because as athletes we have this very prominent platform where we can affect social change. And I think it behooves all of us to do the right thing."

Schultz asked if he’s involved with the fight for marriage equality in Minnesota, where the issue will be on the ballot in November. Minnesotans will decide whether or not to amend their state constitution to permanently define marriage as between a man and a woman.

 Kluwe confirmed that he’s a very active member of Minnesotans for Equality, and will continue fighting to defeat the amendment.

“Gay people would like to get married,” he said. “I think that’s something when we look back 20-25 years from now, and you look at history, which side were you on? Were you on the side that supported this or did you try to take people’s rights away?”

The NFL is facing the largest class action lawsuit in sports history. Former NFL players say the league deliberately misled players about the connections between concussions and long-term brain damage.

The Nation sports writer Dave Zirin joins Ed Schultz to discuss the implications. 

The Green Bay Packers are seeing similar disputes on two fronts as both their league and their state are in turmoil over labor agreements …

A decision was supposed to happen tonight, but after 8 hours of deliberation earlier today, negotiations between the NFL and the players’ union over the current CBA now has a 24-hour extension.  If it expires, there could be a year without football.  Should it come to that, the NFLPA says it would decertify – a measure that’s already been approved by the players.

The league is asking for 2 more games a year, but the players are concerned with the strain that will put on their bodies – especially after the most recent injury report showed record highs.  What’s more, is that they’re asking to restrict player wages and cut benefits for retirees.

Another main hold up is over revenue sharing between owners and players.  Today, President Obama spoke to the disagreement on how things are divvied up: “For an industry that's making $9 billion a year in revenue, they can figure out how to divide it up in a sensible way and be true to their fans.”