NFL

NFL labor optimism as Goodell, Smith have ‘jovial dinner’

In another very hopeful sign for the NFL’s labor dispute, sources confirmed to The Post that league commissioner Roger Goodell and union chief DeMaurice Smith met for a private dinner lasting nearly two hours Wednesday night at a Midtown restaurant.

The secret and highly unusual sit-down came at Patroon just hours after the two leaders were involved in another round of closed-door talks between negotiating parties on Long Island.

Those talks, combined with what a witness said was “a very jovial dinner” between Goodell and Smith, are prompting optimism that the league’s three-month labor dispute could soon end before any games or training-camp time are lost.

A league spokesman declined comment on the private dinner. The decertified union did not respond to messages.