AAF majority owner Terry Dundon made a pretty big statement recently. Apparently, the AAF may shut down and fold in the near future. It’s not because of television ratings, advertising, or poor attendance numbers. It’s because the AAF wants players at the bottom of NFL rosters to play — which would improve the quality of the product on the field — but the NFL Players’ Association won’t sign off on loaning NFL players to the upstart league. The thing is, the NFLPA doesn’t owe the AAF a thing and unless major concessions are made by the NFL and the AAF, players at the end of the roster or on practice squads shouldn’t suit up for Atlanta, Orlando, Salt Lake, San Diego, Memphis, Birmingham, Arizona, or San Antonio anytime soon.
The NFLPA owes exactly nothing to the AAF. If a player was injured in AAF action, then what happens to the NFL contract? What happens if it’s a career-threatening injury? Even a minor injury could hurt a player who is trying to make the roster. If they aren’t recovered by the beginning of camp then that player is already behind the eight-ball. Furthermore, if a player does poorly in the AAF it hurts their chance of being brought back by their NFL team. There is essentially no upside for practice squad or end of the roster players and only downside. What did AAF leadership think would happen?
The AAF argued it was going to be a complementary league. It’s quickly shifting to a minor league. The NFL doesn’t need an official minor league because they find talent no matter what. They find undrafted free agents from small colleges. They find players in the CFL. They find players who play rugby or Australian football. They find players some way, somehow. It’s been like that for years. The NFLPA doesn’t need the AAF. The AAF needs the NFLPA.
NFL coaches do seem open to the idea of having players get some reps in the AAF, but that’s exactly why the NFLPA should hold strong. The union can use this as a negotiating ploy. They can try and create two-way contracts. They can say that NFL players can go to the AAF, but certain things need to be guaranteed before they do so. The union should want this to be an issue going into the new collective bargaining agreement because it’s another chip they use in their negotiation. If the NFL wants the AAF to be its official developmental league, then concessions must be made.
Let’s not blame the NFLPA here. They are doing everything correctly. The AAF is creating a strawman and looking for someone to blame for its issues. It’s not the NFLPA’s fault that the AAF isn’t where Dundon wants it to be. It’s all on the AAF.
