The lawsuit filed by retired NFL players against the NFL Players Association was dismissed Tuesday by Judge Susan Richard Nelson, in St. Paul, Minn.

Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller, who played for the Minnesota Vikings, was the lead plaintiff for the retired players. They claimed that the Players Association, which had

decertified during the lockout, couldn't bargain with owners on their behalf because the decertification meant that they weren't a working union.

"(T)here can be no dispute that a better package of benefits was in fact obtained for the retired players in the 2011 CBA as compared to those in the former CBA. No jury could reasonably find that the active players did not do better by the retired players in the 2011 CBA," Nelson wrote in her ruling that was released by the Players Association.

Added Cornelius Bennett, Chairman of the NFLPA Former Players Board of Directors: "We are pleased with the decision by the court yesterday, which affirms the NFLPA's tireless commitment to supporting all former NFL players. We will continue our work to unite every member of the former player community, because when we stand together with a common agenda based on common principles, we can better protect our rights and advance our interests."