Guns, the NFL, and the Second Amendment Rights of Players

I'm sure that everyone who follows the NFL hasindividuals or organizations, such as the NFL.
surely heard more than they ever cared to about theIn order for anyone to have a legitimate claim that
recent Plaxico Burress-shoots-himself story. And alongtheir constitutional rights were violated, the conduct
with the discussion about his particular situation camecomplained of must have been engaged in by a
a broader discussion about NFL players carrying"state actor" (like the police, the FBI, or the IRS).
handguns, and the NFL's league-wide gun policy, orAbsent state action, there simply cannot be a
lack thereof. Unfortunately, one thing that I haveconstitutional violation of any sort - with some very
seen repeated over the airwaves (I'm talking to youlimited exceptions where private citizens are acting
ESPN) is the notion that the NFL is somehow limitedon behalf of a state actor (like if the police asked
in what it can do about its players carrying handgunsyour landlord to go into your apartment and
by the Second Amendment.confiscate illegal drugs).
This idea is simply rubbish. The NFL can contractuallySo while there are interesting public policy and labor
obligate its players to refrain from carrying handgunsissues surrounding a potential NFL gun policy that it
without running afoul of any constitutional rights. Thewill negotiate with the Players' Union, there are no
reason is that the NFL can never, no matter howconstitutional issues anywhere in the picture. The NFL
hard it tries, violate the constitutional rights ofcan mandate that players refrain from carrying guns
anyone. The most basic of constitutional principles isjust the same as it can mandate that players refrain
that the constitution protects people fromfrom taking steroids.
governmental action, not those of other private