The NFL Players Association announced that they have approved the league’s new collective bargaining agreement proposal, meaning there will be labor peace for the next 10 years and the NFL can continue with the start of its new league year this upcoming week.
While many players were vocally against the new CBA proposal, it only takes a majority to pass and 1,019 voted “yes” while 959 voted “no.”
Some of the new rules under the CBA include an increased share of revenue for players, former players added benefits, and the league 17-game regular seasons along with an expanded playoff field. The new playoff field will include seven teams in each conference, with only the top seed earning a first-round bye as opposed to the top two.
”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,” NFL Commissioner Roger 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.”
Other changes to the CBA include an increased salary cap that will go from $188.2 million in 2019 to $198.2 million in 2020, an increased minimum salary, expansion of active roster sizes from 53 to 55 and practice squads from 10 to 14 and padded practices in training camp reduced from 28 to 16, with the duration of those practices shortened from three hours to 2.5.
“Our members have spoken and the CBA has been ratified,” new NFLPA president J.C. Tretter said in a statement. “We pick up a greater share of revenues, make significant gains to minimum salaries and increase our post-career benefits. For players past, this deal reaches back in an unprecedented way to increase pensions, benefits and make resources available to them. We understand that not all deals are perfect, and we don’t take the gains we wanted, but couldn’t get, lightly. We now must unite and move forward as a union. The interest and passion on the issues that our members have voiced in the past several weeks needs to continue. Our job is never done and we all must work together as one team to build for a better future.”
The NFL’s new league year is scheduled to begin Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT, while teams may begin negotiating with free agents Monday at 9 a.m. PT. There is a chance that changes due to the coronavirus outbreak, but regardless, the NFL will go on as scheduled after the new CBA agreement.
