By a close vote and with some 500 union members not participating, NFL players have approved a new labor agreement with the league.
It features a 17-game regular season, higher salaries, increased roster sizes and larger pensions for current and former players.
The deal, which runs through the 2030 season, was accepted by the 32 team owners last month. The NFL Players Association’s membership spent the past week voting on the 439-page document, doing so after its executive board narrowly rejected it by a 6-5 vote and the player representatives voted 17-14 in favor with one abstention.
It was clear, however, that there was some strong player opposition to this collective bargaining agreement.
Many stars spoke out against it, including Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt Seattle and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. The total vote, among the nearly 2,500 union members who participated, was 1,019-959. Ratification required a simple majority – results were announced Sunday – and there could be lasting resentment among union members, given how close the vote was.