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On WFAN: DeMaurice Smith Thanks Jets, Giants Fans For Sticking Through Lockout

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- The NFL lockout is history and the league's free-agent frenzy is -- well, it's frenzied. But there's still plenty of work ahead for NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith.

"We are traveling team by team to talk to players about re-unionizing. It's obviously the players' choice," Smith told WFAN's Boomer & Carton on Thursday. "And as we go forward, we're talking to them about the benefits of us reconstituting.

"It was a serious step to decertify and now it's an equally serious step to reconstitute."

Listen: DeMaurice Smith with Boomer & Carton

The New England Patriots voted unanimously on Wednesday to re-unionize, Smith announced.

"It is an issue that I think is very, very serious," he said. "It's so serious that we're traveling team by team to get it done."

When asked if he's happy with the way free agency has played out so far financially, Smith admitted he hasn't been able to pay much attention.

Who's going where? Check out CBSNewYork.com's Free Agency Tracker

"I know that this is going to break your heart, but I haven't really had a lot of time to follow the free-agency wire," Smith said. "Our job was to sit down with the National Football League and hammer out a deal ... just so we could get into the process of signing free agents."

So what's next for the man behind the NFLPA?

"My job right now is, as soon as I get this wrapped up, I'm gonna try to spent some time to the family and reintroduce myself," Smith joked. "Hopefully they won't kick me out."

Smith signed off with a message for New York fans who were left without football for 4.5 months: "Thank you and thanks to all the Jets and Giants fans. Thanks for sticking with us."

Is there any doubt that the players will re-unionize? Fire away in the comments below...

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