I don't know if 1300 players could really participate in the selection of a commissioner, and I've never given it a great deal of thought. I think it's a logical point they could make, but it's only an academic one. ↗
In fact, an awful lot of N.F.L. club owners have practically no influence on their players at all, simply because they're not full-time working owners. ↗
Rather than saying that the commissioner is hired by the owners and therefore is subservient to them, you have to look at whether or not the players are getting a fair shake. ↗