The Collective Bargaining Agreement was approved by NFL players Sunday morning with a vote of 1019 (51.5%) to 959 (48.5%). and ensures labor peace through at least 2030. A mere 60 votes separated the two sides.
Here are some of the impactful takeaways:
Regular-season Schedule
The regular season will not extend to 17 games immediately — it’s likely not to take effect until at least 2021. The league will drop one of the preseason games (down from four to three) once the 17-game season is enforced. Before the start of the season, there will be a “bye week” following the final preseason game.
Training Camp
Once the league commences with the 17-game regular season, teams will be limited to 16 padded practices (current max is 28) during training camp and no more than three in a row.
Practices cannot exceed 2.5 hours and players aren’t permitted to be at their team’s facility beyond 12 hours per day.
Playoffs?!
The expanded 14-game playoff format goes into effect for the 2020 season — seven from each conference — nearly half of the league will make it to the postseason.
Previously, two teams from the AFC and NFC received an opening-round playoff bye week. Now, only one team from each conference will get a playoff bye. There will be six first-round playoff games — three in each conference — instead of the previous four.
This will add a third game to Wild Card Weekend (likely three games apiece on Saturday and Sunday). The third game would be a matchup between the NFC and AFC’s second seed and the additional seventh seed.
Had the new CBA been in effect in 2019, the Pittsburgh Steelers would’ve squeaked in as the seventh seed and played the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round.
Salary Increases
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, the salary cap per club will be just shy of $200 million. Overall player costs per club are $242.9 million, which includes the $198.2 million on the salary cap and $44.7 million in benefits and performance-based pay.
Approximately 1,100 players will see a salary increase in the 2020 season and throughout the terms of the agreement. A minimum-salary player who was a rookie last year will see a bump from $495,000 to $675,000.
A player injured during the season will receive 100% of his salary up to $2 million. Under the previous agreement, injured players received 50% of his salary and a maximum of $1.2 million.
Roster Increases
- Overall — 53 players to 55
- Gameday — 46 players to 48
- Practice squad — 10 players to 12 (years 2020, 2021) and 12 players to 14 (2022)
Additionally, every club can bring as many as three players back from IR, compared with two under the previous agreement.
