NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and players’ union chief DeMaurice Smith agreed to continue discussing changes to the league’s personal conduct policy following a four-hour session in New York on Tuesday.

In an email to player representatives afterward, Smith says he made it clear to the league that the union wants due process.

“While the league currently has great concern for its brand, fairness and justice for our members is more important,” Smith said.

“For us, the starting point for these discussions must be the desire to agree upon a fair personal conduct policy and domestic violence rules from a standpoint of prevention and education. We will not accept a world where all players are viewed as perpetrators first and husbands, fathers, sons and brothers second.”

Goodell and NFL officials were joined by Smith, the NFL Players Association’s executive director, Eric Winston, the union president, executive committee members Zak DeOssie and Jay Feely and other union staff.



Los Angeles extends deal to snag NFL team

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The City Council on Tuesday gave developer AEG another six months to lure a professional football team to the nation’s second-largest city, which has lacked one for two decades.

Without discussion, the council extended AEG’s 2012 agreement to build a downtown stadium and convince an NFL team to move there. The original deal was set to expire on Saturday but the new deadline to obtain a team commitment is April.

AEG would then have until October of next year to finalize the deal.

AEG has had no luck getting a team to come but its chief legal and development officer, Ted Fikre, told a council committee last week that there has been “renewed dialogue” with the league. In addition to receiving more time, AEG agreed to cover the $750,000 it would cost for a “Plan B.” If no new stadium is built, the money would pay the early design and study costs of expanding the existing Los Angeles Convention Center — next door to where the proposed Farmer’s Field stadium would stand.



49ers re-sign QB Josh Johnson, release Ventrone

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed reserve quarterback Josh Johnson after releasing him last week.

The 49ers released safety Bubba Ventrone on Tuesday to clear space for Johnson on the roster. Johnson was waived Friday when the 49ers re-signed special teams standout Kassim Osgood.

Osgood was released earlier last week when the 49ers signed Ventrone. Ventrone played on special teams during San Francisco’s 31-17 victory at St. Louis on Monday night but did not record any tackles.

Johnson is behind starter Colin Kaepernick and backup Blaine Gabbert on the depth chart.