In a letter to the NFL's owners obtained by the Associated Press, Hall of Famers Jack Youngblood and Bruce Smith have asked the group to promise there will be no lockout. The letter was addressed to "Owners of the National Football League" and sent Jan. 31 to Goodell at league headquarters in New York. "As former players, it is crystal clear that the vast popularity and financial success of football means that a lock out cannot be in the interest of anybody involved, particularly the fans who support the game," Youngblood and Smith wrote. "We understand the need for both sides to create pressure, but also know that at times it is important to decrease tenor and tone in order for the right deal to be made in a non-emotional atmosphere."