According to Gould, the NFLPA disclaimed interest prior in 1989 when the NFL had no unfair labor practice claim filed, a sign that if the option to decertify or disclaim were just about the blocking charge, the NFLPA could have gone the decert route over disclaiming interest at that time (See Freeman McNeil v NFL where NFL free agency was eventually reached).
In the event, the only private operators who expressed interest in the more than 20 routes - the offshore company V Ships, and Dunoon's Western Ferries - pulled out.