NFL Players Approve New Collective Bargaining Agreement

After a tug-of-war, NFL players have agreed on a proposed collective bargaining agreement.

The window for the players to vote on ratifying the new CBA closed at 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday. The proposed agreement was sent out to players on March 5 and needed a majority vote from a pool of 2,500 players to pass.

Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement, saying:

“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. 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.”

The new agreement will last until 2030. And with it, comes some notable changes to the season. The league will introduce two additional postseason teams and an extended playoff field which could go into effect as early as the 2020 season. Also, starting in 2021, there will be a 17th regular-season game. 

Players will be compensated for these additional games with a boost in pay. The new CBA outlines an increase in minimum salaries from $600,000 to over $1 million and increases in performance-based pay. Additionally, players will get a bigger percentage of the league’s revenue share. Starting in 2020, players will get 47 percent of all league revenue.

In 2021, this will jump to 48 percent with the potential to grow depending on how well the league does in its TV deals.