There contentious negotiations for a new NFL collective bargaining agreement may have boiled over into name-calling from Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson toward two of the league's most prominent players at a negotiating sessions this month.

But New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees -- who, along with Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning, was allegedly on the receiving end of Richardson's remarks -- declined to call out the 74-year-old former player-turned-owner.

"I wouldn't say that things were disrespectful but what I would say is that there's are a lot of issues to get through," Brees said in an appearance on Sirius XM's Mad Dog Radio, "and we're obviously not going to agree on everything and so it's a process and there are a lot of things to consider here. "

Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely told ESPN Radio recently that Richardson -- considered a hawk among owners for having a hard-line in the CBA talks -- criticized Manning, Brees "and their intelligence" at a negotiating session.

Yahoo Sports then reported that Richardson blasted players at the meeting so much so that commissioner Roger Goodell and fellow owners cringed. Some later apologized for Richardson, Yahoo reported.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Rock Herald Hill the league is not considering removing Richardson from his place on the negotiating committee.

The sides appear far apart as they bicker over how to split the NFL's multi-billion dollar revenue pie.

The league hasn't ruled out a lockout. And Brees, who reiterated to Mad Dog Radio that the players want the owners to prove to them why they want them to take less money, said the union won't back down if a work stoppage is forced upon it.

"We don't want to but we didn't start this fight," he said. "This fight was brought to us."