By a close vote, with some 500 union members not participating, NFL players have approved a new labor agreement with the league. It features a 17-game regular season, higher salaries, increased roster sizes and larger pensions for current and former players.
The deal, which runs through the 2030 season, was accepted by the 32 team owners last month. The NFL Players Association’s membership spent the last week voting on the 439-page document after its executive board narrowly rejected it by a 6-5 vote, and the player representatives voted 17-14 in favor, with one abstention.
Clearly, there was some strong player opposition to this collective bargaining agreement, though. Many stars, including Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt and Todd Gurley, spoke out against it. The total vote, among the nearly 2,500 union members who participated, was 1,019-959. Ratification required a simple majority — results were announced Sunday — and there could be lasting resentment among union members, given how close the vote was.
“Can’t believe we agreed to that lol,” Colts tight end Eric Ebron tweeted. “We can only play this game for so long and y’all didn’t want everything we could get out of it? … 2030 y’all do better.”
Almost immediately, players were urging unity, particularly in the face of the criticism from within their ranks about approving the deal.
“The democratic process has played itself out,” tweeted Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, one of the most influential voices in the union. “We must be committed to unifying our current and former members. While I don’t agree with the decision because of its negative impacts on some current and former players, I do respect our process and will push forward accordingly.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, not surprisingly, praised the players’ acceptance of the new CBA.
“We are pleased that the players have voted to ratify the proposed new CBA, which will provide substantial benefits to all current and retired players, increase jobs, ensure continued progress on player safety, and give our fans more and better football,” Goodell said in a statement. “We appreciate the tireless efforts of the members of the Management Council Executive Committee and the NFLPA leadership, both of whom devoted nearly a year to detailed, good faith negotiations to reach this comprehensive, transformative agreement.”
Soon after the union announced the voting results, it began discussing with the league the planned opening of the 2020 NFL business season on Wednesday with free agency and trades. A delay is possible given league restrictions on travel as a safeguard against the new coronavirus.
Timing and potential format changes for the draft, scheduled for Las Vegas from April 23-25, also could be discussed.
A 17-game schedule won’t happen before the 2021 season. The mechanics for an uneven number of games — neutral sites or which teams get nine home games — will be worked out in the interim.
AP Pro Football Writers Dennis Waszak Jr. and Dave Campbell, and AP Sports Writers Tim Booth, Mark Long and Steve Megargee contributed to this report.
