MINNEAPOLIS -- The federal judge who lifted the lockout two days ago dealt another blow to the league late Wednesday, denying its request to put her ruling on hold pending appeals and guaranteeing more limbo for all 32 teams, thousands of players and millions of fans.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson said the NFL had fallen short in proving a stay was warranted and dismissed its argument that it is facing irreparable harm because of her decision to end the 45-day lockout. After Nelson's ruling, the NFL appealed to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

The NFL filed its brief overnight, seeking three things, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported. The league asked the court to overturn Nelson's ruling on the union's decertification; it asked for a stay of the injunction; and it asked for a temporary stay until the court considers the longer stay request.

It would require only one of the three judges on the appeals panel to grant the temporary stay.

Two NFL general managers told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio on Thursday morning that all transactions (free agent signings, player trades) are still on hold. Most important there are no negotiations with potential draft picks. The Carolina Panthers, who own the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which begins Thursday night (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), cannot contact any of the possible top picks.

"We are awaiting further word from the league, hopefully sometime [Thursday]," one of the general managers told ESPN.

The NFL Players Association, now a trade group and not a union, sent a letter to players and their agents Thursday morning saying that the NFL and its 32 teams "will be in contempt of court if they do not comply with the order unless and until they hear differently from the Eighth Circuit."

The NFLPA said in its letter that Nelson's ruling leaves little to interpretation.

"We believe the 2011 League Year now has to begin; the Clubs must open their facilities to allow players to work out, meet with coaches and otherwise perform their jobs; and the NFL and the Clubs cannot collectively continue to refuse to deal with players," the NFLPA's attorneys wrote.

It said it would contact players and agents later Thursday what the NFL planned to do and provide a specific schedule. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello had said Wednesday night that the NFL was "evaluating the district court's decision and will advise our clubs [Thursday] morning on how to proceed."

Nelson's ruling was not a surprise, given her questioning of NFL attorney David Boies during an April 6 hearing and her 89-page order lifting the lockout. She wrote another 20 pages in her denial Wednesday, declaring the public's interest in the resumption of league operations.