The NFL Players Association filed a grievance on Tuesday challenging the suspension and fine given to Plaxico Burress by the New York Giants after the star receiver accidentally shot himself 10 days ago.
The union said that the team violated the collective bargaining agreement last week when it placed Burress on the reserve-non football injury list, suspended him for the final four games of the regular season and fined him an additional week's salary for conduct detrimental to the team.
Placing Burress on the non-football injury list also will keep him out of the playoffs. The Giants won the NFC East division title on Sunday.
Union spokesman Carl Francis said the grievance will be heard by an arbitrator after the season ends.
Under the contract that Burress signed in September, the Giants owe the Super Bowl star $1 million of his signing bonus on Wednesday. Team spokesman Pat Hanlon had no comment on either the grievance and whether the team would pay the signing bonus.
Francis said the union would consider another grievance if the Giants withheld the payment.
Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub on Nov. 29, and was booked and arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty and posted $100,000 bail.
U.S. & World
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
