SAN FRANCISCO — Lawyers have started picking a nine-member federal jury to decide whether the NFL Players Association cheated some 2,000 retirees out of millions of dollars in royalties from video games, trading cards and others sports products.

Opening statements are expected later Monday in the trial scheduled to last a little more than two weeks in San Francisco federal court.

Retired players who signed a group licensing agreement with the union say the union sought to cut them out of licensing deals so active players could receive bigger royalty payments.

The union argues that few companies are interested in marketing the vast majority of retired players.