The NFL Player’s Association has agreed to convene after the Super Bowl to conditionally vote for or against a 17-game regular season schedule, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter.
This new schedule, if approved, likely wouldn’t take place until 2021 when the new CBA goes into place. Talks between the owners and the NFLPA have been contentious for months now, and while many players do not want an added game to the schedule, a source told ESPN the players may choose to “accept the one thing they hate, a 17-game season, in exchange for 10 or more things they want.”
If the players reject the proposal, it could put into plan a potential work stoppage in 2021, as the window to get a deal done before the owners table the proposal until after the 2020 season is closing.
Almost all of the players dislike the idea of a 17-game schedule for health reasons, and many of the most outspoken players are former Seahawks, including Richard Sherman and Russell Okung.
The new CBA proposal also includes the potential for an added playoff game as well as nearly eliminating punishment for players who test positive for marijuana, following in the footsteps of the MLB.
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