NFLPA Approves New Collective Bargaining Agreement

NFL Players Association voted to approve a new Collective Bargaining Agreement by a narrow 1,019-959 margin. The new CBA will run through 2030.

Effectively what this means is we will not have to worry about a strike or a lockout for the foreseeable future. 2020 was the final season playing under the old CBA.

Most of the details are unavailable at this time, and fans probably have little interest in most of the changes to league operating procedure.

Among the relevant changes:

• There will be a 17th regular game in each season. That will not begin in 2020.
• Each conference will now have 7 teams make the Playoffs instead of 6. Only the top seed in each conference will now receive a first round bye. The implementation of this is unclear.
• Teams will now play 3 preseason games instead of 4. The final week of the preseason will be a bye week for all teams. (Goodbye, Jets-Eagles annual backup bowl.)
• The NFL will hire a discipline officer to assign fines and suspensions, but the commissioner will rule on appeals.
• Roster size will increase to 55 from 53.
• Teams will now be allowed to have 48 players active for games instead of 46.