NFLPA director: likelihood of a strike/lockout in 2021 "almost a virtual certainty"
 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...n-near-future/

It's been over six years since the NFL had to deal with a work stoppage of any sort, and unfortunately for the league, that's a streak that could be coming to an end soon, according to DeMaurice Smith.

Smith, who serves as the executive director of the NFLPA, believes there's going to be a work stoppage after the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires following the 2020 season.

"I think the likelihood of either a strike or a lockout in [2021] is almost a virtual certainty," Smith said this week during an interview with MMQB.com.
The last time the NFL had to cancel games due to a work stoppage came in 1987. This time around, Smith isn't quite sure yet if a work stoppage would lead to any canceled games, but he didn't sound optimistic.

"I don't know. Let's look at our history," Smith said.

The problem with negotiating a new CBA is that it sounds like the players don't really trust the owners right now.

"The owners do a deal in 2006 and opt out in 2008. We do a deal in 2011 with no opt outs because we like the benefits under the current deal and we didn't want to give the owners an opportunity to opt out and take back the games that we currently have," Smith said. "If there was no renegotiating of the collective bargaining agreement and we reach 2021, there is no uncapped year. The last time we went through it, we found out that the owners lied and cheated about the uncapped year, so why would I do that again?"

The seeds for the 2011 lockout were planted in 2008 when the NFL's 32 owners voted to opt out of a CBA that was supposed to run through 2012. When the league opted out, that meant an early end to the 2006 CBA agreement and left the league with an uncapped salary year in 2010.

According to Smith, the owners "colluded with each other" so that the players wouldn't be able to take advantage of the uncapped year.

"All the mutual benefits that were supposed to happened as result of the opt out didn't happen last time," Smith said. "Owners colluded with each other and we found out that they colluded with each other. All of the bad things that went to the players happened and none of the bad things that went to the owners happened. So we have a new deal that if it doesn't get fixed, you go into a certain Armageddon."

What this all means is that Smith is ready to take the NFLPA to battle with the NFL over the new CBA. The NFLPA is taking the possibility of a work stoppage so seriously that it warned players in May to start saving money.

If a work stoppage does happen, it wouldn't start for at least four more seasons. The current CBA runs through the 2020 season, which means any potential work stoppage wouldn't take place until the 2021 season.

Let the battle of rich, greedy owners vs. rich, greedy players begin!!!!!

players really don't want to do 18 games

and the owners really want them too

All the owners should do like Clark does and charge full price for the preseason games. Problem solved.

It's just posturing.

The players won't strike because their careers are too short.

I doubt it. Players spend way more than they make. Most of them need their checks more than just holding out to help few bad apples that don't like Goodells power.

If you don't act like an idiot you have nothing to worry about.

I don't blame them, but if the owners will pay them the prorated extra two games more, they would be dumb not to take it.

They need to think about earning that extra 12% a year when your line of work and income is limited by age.


I will almost always side with the players when it comes to a dispute. The owners are some snake in the grass bastards.

If they do it'll probably be our best team/shot at a superbowl in decades. Then the following year we'll be rebuilding. Just how it is.

It's almost a virtual certainty that I'll be done with NFL completely at that point.

Lol

Not like there is 4 years before then where things could change. Lots of time for negotiations. Stating this so early is a bad look for the union, imo.

Mahomes will enter his prime in ... (counting years on fingers) ... yep.

Gonna be epic.

The Replacements 2 will have some prime material to draw from.

Even that, I still wouldn't want to play 18 games at all. It's a long season and adding two more games will more likely increase the odds of injuries, especially if the owners still keep it as the 53 man roster and still trotting out 4 pre-season games.

Plus, I want the NFL to get rid of the Thursday games. The quality of the game on Thursdays is very bad, considering a team just played on Sunday and have a 3 day turn-around. (This is unlikely to happen because they make money off of it anyways, but still...)

There's plenty more that I would go on, but these two would be a start.

4 years

I doubt I'll GAF by then.. Year by year, the NFL gets less necessary. It's still the best pro sports around, imo, but still losing its necessity in the grand scheme.

The NFL will use it as an opportunity to continue maximizing the broad appeal of the sport. The NFL players will strike, and they'll be replaced by oiled-up bikini models riding neon-dyed ostriches and Gatorade-themed dune buggies, and every play will result in a touchdown that's worth eight points.

They're just laying the groundwork for negotiations, I'm sure. They were run over by the owners last time. Billions of dollars in new TV deals, and they still let the owners lock them out under the idea that the owners weren't making enough money. They are probably going to talk tough all the way to 2021.

i dont think there will be any possible way of a complete strike like 87

too much money at stake ...too many people get paid too well if theres no strike

league gets hurt way too much in case of strike

they have years to work it out, and they will

Chiefs replacements get to the playoffs and lose to the colts in triple overtime. Book it.

No international teams
No 18 games
No Thursday night football
Same number of playoff teams
Tighten up press rules and get rid of illegal screens
Create a standard off the field conduct penalty system
Let people celebrate for crying out loud
Get rid of arbitrary rules (like taunting) that have no business impacting games

Our only hope is that by 2021 there's still an NFL worth saving since the owners are intent on running it into the ground and cashing in the winnings

LMAO I was just thinking the same thing. The Chiefs will go far in the playoffs in 2020 and Mahomes will show significant progress, just in time for him to take a year off and regress.

Because Chiefs...

Competition committee rules are not part of the CBA

shouldn't they just get rid of pre-season games altogether?
they're basically glorified inter-squad scrimmages.

Weak union that has little incentive to fight a battle today so tomorrow's players have it better.

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I think the only the rookies are getting screwed.

I also think the teams should be able to get more practices out of the players in camp.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NFL owners have been summoned to New York for a meeting later this week regarding the status of labor negotiations with the NFLPA. Significant progress has been made toward a new CBA, but the two sides remain far apart on some outstanding issues...</p>&mdash; Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSilver/status/1230244662771732480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If all goes well, a new deal--predicated on a 17-game regular season that would launch sometime between 2021 and 2023--could be ratified before March 18... and go into effect in time for the new league year.</p>&mdash; Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSilver/status/1230244663723876353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Blah blah...it'll come down to the wire like always

Rebuild mode for us will be a divisional/conference championship game exit.

We're going to be so spoiled.

I have to believe that the main issues for the NFLPA are increasing the percentage allotted for player salaries, and removing any testing for marijuana. With a 17 game schedule, the players will definitely need more than the 47% they are getting now, and will definitely want to be able to medicate without fear of suspension.

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So an extra game per year?

60/6,000 for Mahomes!!!

Dealing with week-to-week pain with a little marijuana is a lot less dangerous than popping oxy to deal with it.

LET'S DOMINATE THE NEWS DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH EVEN THOUGH NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN. /NFL Owners

So who else is like me and does NOT want a 17th game?...

Yes, I know it’s going to happen. Just prefer it not.

But the one that I really, really hope never happens is expanded playoffs.

I agree with you, but afraid adding playoff games is going to happen sooner or later. The owners are to greedy for it not to happen.

It doesn’t really make sense to have a 17th game. With the number of teams in each division and the number of teams in the league, 16 games makes perfect sense for scheduling.

It makes sense in that it puts more money in the owner's pockets.

Yeah I’ve been wondering what’s gonna happen there too.

I hate the odd number, I don’t like that record books are almost certain to be completely re-written, and above all, it just doesn’t make sense for player safety.

It’d be one thing if they’re adding a bye week, that may actually be a positive. But if not, it’s just that much more of a beating for the players to endure season to season.

They start changing too many things and they may do more harm than good. The old saying should hold true here, if it ain’t broke...

And a helluva lot less effective too.

If you have the kind of pain that requires Oxy, weed aint gonna cut it.

Weed is not a pain killer. Motrin is more effective than weed.

Weed is a put your mind past it pain management. No body has the expectations it is going to make them pain free.

It's also for those not looking to become a junkie on opiates.

I think the 17th game is dogshit. Players can already barely make it through a 16 game schedule and we’re gonna add another game? ****ing ridiculous.

The right strains are very effective for pain management.

If they add a 17th game they need to increase the roster size and increase the number of active players you can have for a game.

If they add additional games 'Load Management' will be introduced to the NFL terminology.

Does a 17th game mean they are getting rid of one pre-season game?

Last they talk about is getting rid of 2

I think increasing the active roster is a must for a 17 game regular season. They need to add a second bye week as well.

I bet that adding a 17th game will allow Goodell the ability to play 8 games in London and 8 games in Mexico City. I am against expanding the NFL to any countries other than Canada and Mexico.

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Almost certainty = oxymoron

Hopefully we can get 3 more rings before that happens.

I think they’re going to eliminate the 46 man game day roster.

I never understood its purpose anyway

What a reeruned take.

It’s supposed to help teams that are ravaged by injuries by leveling the playing field a bit.

I'm okay with a 17th game and an extra bye replacing 2 meaningless preseason games. That would be a gift to season ticket holders who currently have to buy 2 worthless preseason tickets at full price. This would make them only have to pay for one.

Explain to me how meditation helps pain management.

This

Having an odd number of games just makes no sense. Unless every team plays an extra game at a neutral site, half of the teams are going to get an extra home game each year. I’m guessing the NFL is going to want to schedule every team to play an extra game at an international site. An easier solution to this would be to just go ahead and let the Jaguars move there.

You’re gonna start to see more international games. I bet we start to see games in city’s that don’t have NFL teams soon.

You mean besides Cleveland and Jacksonville?

I think that would be a good idea for preseason games, but it seems like a bad idea for regular season games.

It's a bad time to be a #2 seed. You have to play a 17th game AND you have to play round one of the playoffs. That's two extra games you have to play.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">More on the transformational CBA proposal now on the table, per sources: As part of the new deal, players go from 47% share under current deal to 48% share at 16 games, and then to 48.5% share if they go to 17 games, shifting $5 billion of revenue to players’ side.</p>&mdash; Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1230302975857504257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

$5B if split evenly would be around $3M per player per year. I would think they would easily agree to this.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Expanding on this, and as we reported a couple of weeks back, the players&#39; share of revenue under the new deal could go even higher than that 48.5 percent depending on how much revenue is generated from the new TV deals. Could conceivably approach 49. <a href="https://t.co/Ao5dk2799O">https://t.co/Ao5dk2799O</a></p>&mdash; Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanGrazianoESPN/status/1230305313141772288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That’s just part of the upcoming cap explosion and why I’m advocating keeping Jones on a long term deal this offseason.

In 2 years, it will seem like a huge bargain.

5b / 32 teams = 156,250,000 per team

I thoroughly disagree.

In November 2018, I had bi-lateral micro-decompression of my L2/L3, L3/L4 and L4/L5, which is the long way of saying that I had surgery for Spinal Stenosis.

I took Tramadol, which is an extremely potent opoid, for 3 days. Not only was I completely and utterly constipated, and spent 8 hours one night bleeding out my ass due to the effect of the opioid, I was in massive pain.

On Day 4, I flushed the Tramadol down the toilet and began taking 40mg's of edibles, Nugs to be exact, to combat the pain. It was like a miracle drug, I shit you not. I didn't get "high", because the pain was way too intense but I felt SO much better AND after a few days, resumed normal bathroom activities.

I have no idea what it feels like to play in the NFL but it's difficult for me to believe that THC won't help manage their pain.

So it being three years since the thread was started, what are the odds that there's a work stoppage looming in 2021 now?

The same as they were in 2017: Zero

Keep Watkins too

Absolutely.

I'd love to see a restructured deal where he's given a 2 year, $24 million dollar deal with $12 million guaranteed.

Throw in some incentives for year two and go...

Hell guarantee 14 so it doesn’t look like He’s giving money away

That works, too.

:thumb:

I'm of the opinion that he's more valuable than his stats would make him appear.

Great lockerroom guy, ultra-talented, ultra-competitive, still young AND he's a champion.

And so god damn good with the ball in his hands...

Agreed

Nah.

Sorry, I’m not anywhere near as big of a fan of Sammy Watkins as others here are. He’s ultra talented, but has motivation problems and decides when to turn on his switch and when to just put it on autopilot. After week 1, he kinda disappeared till the playoffs. After winning the Super Bowl, he started talking about taking a year off or sitting out till camp.

I’d rather spend that kind of $ on players that bring max effort every play.

This is the best WR class in quite some time. 55 WRs were invited to the combine. I’d rather use that money on a stud corner or linebacker, TBH.

Over how many years? Thats not per year obviously.

Over another 10 year CBA.

15.625m per year before new TV deals are done, more gambling proceeds hit the bottom line and more games.

I think they could help teams by expanding the roster to 55 and letting every player dress.

I totally get what you’re saying but from my perspective, the Chiefs offense is at its most dangerous when Watkins is healthy and available. It just wasn’t the same without him, IMO.

I’d rather the Chiefs keep him and draft a possible replacement rather than cut ties with him and hope they can find someone that can step in to provide similar value offensively.

Hardman isn’t a Watkins replacement, IMO. The Chiefs would need to hit on a second rounder like Deebo Samuel in order to replace Watkins in this offense, which I suppose isn’t out of the question in the 2020 draft, but is much riskier than continuing to keep Watkins on the roster.