The NFL, sued by the players’ union...

The NFL, sued by the players’ union after the 1987 strike, has countered with its own suit in an attempt to get players back to the bargaining table.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, where the players filed their antitrust action after an unsuccessful 24-day strike. It asks the court to declare that the NFL Players Assn. remain the bargaining representative of the players despite its attempts to decertify after an appeals court ruling that threw out most of its claims.

“We are hopeful that this suit will clarify the union’s status and lead to a resumption of collective bargaining,” the NFL Management Council said in a statement.

The union had no immediate comment.