Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers pointed to seeing only an “abbreviated version” of the new CBA and specific “issues” with the current proposal, which include expanding the regular season, changing the playoff format and a lack of concessions from teams on “the workplace, workload and the offseason workout program,” as leading reasons why he voted “no” on the current deal.
Rodgers, a 15-year NFL veteran, is the Packers player representative.
The vote among team reps on Tuesday night finished 17-14-1 in favor of the new deal, with one team abstaining from the vote. Rodgers was one of the 14 “no” votes.
“I voted no last night,” Rodgers wrote for a two-paged post on his official Twitter account. “My decision to vote no is based off of the conversations I have had with the men in my locker room that I’m tasked to represent.”
Rodgers said the vote taking place on an abbreviated version of the deal “isn’t good enough.” He also pushed back on the extra risks of a 17-game regular season and the altered playoff format, which would have forced the Packers – as the No. 2 seed – to play on the first weekend of the playoffs last season.
Rodgers also wants “more offseason recovery time” for players as a tradeoff for more games, “added risk, and longer stretches before and after the bye week.”
The new deal would eliminate a preseason game but an extra bye week during the season isn’t expected.
Rodgers said he leaned on his experience in the NFL and “the sentiment I hear from my teammates” as he debated the merits of the deal and whether or not to share his thoughts on the vote.
The new CBA proposal will go for an official vote among all players.
