In the famous words of Hank Williams Jr., are you ready for some football?
Today, National Football League officials announced a deal to end the 136-day lockout. Player reps unanimously voted, 32-0 to ratify terms to a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement.
"We wanted to let everyone know that loves this game that the Board of Payer Representatives and the Executive Committee of the National Football League Player's Association unanimously recommended the approval of a deal," said NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith in a released statement.
According to the NFL Network, the league and players have agreed to new terms of a collective bargaining agreement that could have players in the locker rooms as early as tomorrow.
Starting tomorrow, players can return to their team's facility for volunteer workouts since being banned from entering over four months ago.
A key sticking-point for the deal was that the players could use their team's facility to hold meetings in order to recertify as a union. Up until now, the owners had denied that request.
Players will now be allowed to use the facilities to tentatively discuss topics they were previously not allowed to discuss.
Once a union again, player reps can vote on topics like player discipline fines, league drug programs and workers comp.
Below is a list of some of the new terms in the deal:
- New CBA is a 10-year deal with NO "opt out clause" - this means that owner's or players cannot opt out of deal resulting in a confirmed full decade of uninterrupted football.
- $9 Billion Dollars - This is the amount of money the NFL brings in every year that the owners & players use to split close to 50/50. Under the new terms owners will now receive 53% and the players 47%.
- Lower Rookie Salaries - A salary system will be implemented to limit spending on first-round draft picks so that a rookie who has never played a down of football will not receive tens of millions of dollars in guaranteed money.
- Limited Padded Practices & No More "2-a-Days" - states that the dreaded 2-a-day practices are now a thing of the past and there could be as little as just 14 total padded practices during the entire season.
Here is a timeline for the next week, according to the NFL Network.
- List of Free Agents released today - At 6pm today a list of all Free Agents will be released to teams but actual free agent signings cannot take place until Friday at 6pm.
- Tuesday - Players allowed to enter team facilities for volunteer workouts. 10am teams will be allowed to sign drafted rookies and undrafted free agents, trade players and negotiate with available free agents but not sign them.
- Wednesday - Training camps begin for 10 teams, with 10 more teams on Thursday, 10 more on Friday and final 2 teams to begin training camp on Sunday. No pads or physical contact are allowed until Sunday. NFL Network reports the Redskins will be begin training camp on Thursday.
- Thursday - Waiver wire starts up, teams can now cut or waive players. This will be a day to watch for the Skins to see whether or not they cut big names like Donovan McNabb and troubled Defensive End Albert Haynesworth.
- Friday - The free agency frenzy will begin at 6pm and teams will be allowed to sign free agents to bolster their roster. Big names on the list include highly coveted shut-down cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and just released from prison Wide Receiver, Plaxico Burress.
There is still more work to be done to hash out recertification and the Brady vs. The NFL lawsuit needs to be dropped, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell summed it up best:
"It's been a long time coming and football is back, that's great news for everybody."
virginia
12:30 pm on Tuesday, July 26, 2011
I am so glad football is back on! Go skins.
Andre L. Taylor
3:04 pm on Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Can't wait to see my EAGLES beat up on the NFC East
LD
8:48 am on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Andre, me too!
Andre L. Taylor
8:57 am on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
That's what I like to hear!
Nathan Heath
12:29 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Nice to see we have some NFC East fans on here. How bout them Cowboys and their 5 rings! Working on our second hand! Andre...LD...how many rings do the Eagles have?...
Andre L. Taylor
12:32 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ha ha ha! Well, Nathan, we don't have any but we're a very proud team. lol. I think I can speak for LD when I say we are not fans of the Cowboys AT ALL! I lived in Texas for two years and I must say, Cowboys fans there are less than friendly. More so that Eagles fans. :)
LD
12:41 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
It's easy to love & be a fan of a team with 5 rings.... It's true passion and LOVE for our Eagles that shines because we stick with them through the highs & lows.... Should be a great season - we look forward to the matchup!!
Nathan Heath
1:51 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Dre, gotta give it to you livng in Texas...I could NEVER live in Philly!
LD...Sticking with your squad no matter what happens is a sign of a true, passionate fan.
Look at the season I had to go through last year, "Pre-Season Super Bowl Favorites" to not even making the playoffs - rough! Good Luck to everyone's team this year...as we get our 6th Rang!!!
Jake VanWoerkom
11:15 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Agreed re sticking with your squad. I've been a fan of the Detroit Lions since the year after Barry Sanders left, but I've stuck with them through countless losing seasons and the 0-16 season. But this year is the year we are getting back to the playoffs!
Lisa K. Brown
5:43 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
I'm so mad your Eagles got Noel Devine! So annoying.
Nathan Heath
8:39 am on Thursday, July 28, 2011
Jake - Lions are definitely on the rebound, alot of young talent, Calvin Johnson, Javid Best, Mattie Stafford, and Suuuuuhhhhh! And didnt they draft a crucial d-lineman in the first round this year? Tough division, we'll have to see what happens! Do you remember the first team the Lions beat to end their losing streak? C'mon let me hear it!!!!
Nathan Heath
8:50 am on Thursday, July 28, 2011
Lisa - Are you a former or current 'Mountaineer', Devine is not really a household name especially after not being drafted, he was a beast at West Virginia rushing for over 4,000 yards last year! Where would you rather have seen him go?
Lisa K. Brown
12:13 pm on Thursday, July 28, 2011
I'm a former Mountaineer and a Steelers fan, but I would've liked to see him go anywhere else, even the Redskins. Except the Cowboys, I dislike them more than the Eagles.
Scott Arvai
11:55 am on Thursday, July 28, 2011
I am so glad football is back! It is such an exciting time to be an avid football fan and watch all of the free agency moves going on recently. It will be interesting to see where everybody ends up once the dust settles and it's time to start playing games!
Amahl Miller
5:39 pm on Thursday, July 28, 2011
So glad football is back.
Heidi Weiss
9:35 pm on Thursday, July 28, 2011
Can't wait to put on the Burgundy and Gold (that's GOLD by the way, not hideous bright mustard yellow!), and root for the 'Skins once again. Hope springs eternal as they say, and I'm a sucker for our local boyz. Let's pray that post-McNabb, we'll have a fresh start. Go SKINS!!
Nathan Heath
8:41 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
Just wanted to thank everyone for posting your comments and expressing your thoughts about the NFL lockout ending-....Now, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!!!!