League and Players Union closer to agreement on 18-game season
A league source with knowledge on talks between the NFL Players Association and league representatives said on Wednesday 24 November that the two committees were accelerating talks. At the forefront of their mandate are discussions to elongate the NFL schedule
to 18 regular-season games.
Both NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith were present for the discussions in New York. Additionally Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren, Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian, Atlanta Falcons president Rich
McKay, NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, NFLPA executive committee member Domonique Foxworth, player advocate Ernie Conwell and player representative Pete Kendall were involved.
While refusing to comment, the league and players union confirmed they had met on Monday 22 November.
The league has proposed an 18-game regular season schedule, while limiting pre-season matches to two games. The player’s union has responded by saying they would be in accordance with the proposed 18-game season, so long as certain requests and requirements
were met.
This would include the desire to have considerably less off-season football activity, as well as limited overall contact during practices throughout the year. A second additional bye-week for each team has also been mentioned as a possible solution.
Both the players union and owners associate seem to share the same resounding goal of offsetting increased exposure to injury, which would be more likely in an 18-game season.
The insider’s source mentioned significant progress must be made before the sides are close to an agreement, but that negotiations have gone well. Furthermore, the players' negotiating team came off as reasonable, thoughtful and progressive in its approach
during the latest meetings.
The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire 3 March 2011, after owners opted out of the agreement following the 2008 season. If an agreement is not reached before the start of next season, a lockout will ensue, essentially eliminating the
entire 2011 NFL schedule.
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