David S. Doty, a U.S. District Judge known for rulings that shaped the NFL’s modern labor system, dies at age 96. Multiple outlets report that Doty presided over legal proceedings that contributed to the framework governing player movement and league compensation, including the development of NFL free agency and the salary-cap era. Sources cite his role in overseeing or influencing major labor agreements and disputes between the league and its players, with effects that continue to influence offseason roster decisions. The New York Times and other reports describe Doty as a central figure in the 1993 agreement that helped lead to free agency and the salary cap, while additional accounts point to related rulings in the early 1990s that paved the way for free agency. Court officials, the NFL, and former colleagues remember him for decisions that helped define how labor issues are handled in the league. Doty died June 27, according to the reports.