Art Rooney II doesn't believe that representatives of the NFLPA studied the final offer made by the NFL and its owners. Instead, the union decertified and the league entered a lockout for the first time in 24 years. "To me, that sort of was the tipoff that they weren't really interested in getting serious," Rooney, the Steelers president, said. "What we offered them, there's no reason why they wouldn't take it and look at it. They could have said 'That's not enough, we need more.' That wouldn't have been surprising. But, to not even take it, I'm not sure what purpose that served. "That was probably another indication they weren't that interested [in negotiating]. It made us think this was their plan all along."