Earlier this (Monday) afternoon, players unanimously agreed to a deal which has ended the 4-1/2 month long lockout, just days after NFL owners agreed to a tentative deal to be approved by the players. This has ended what goes down in NFL history as the league’s longest work stoppage, and it now guarantees a deal which will last for the next 10 years.
According to a report from NFL.com, NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith was quoted as saying, “We didn’t get everything that either side wanted … but we did arrive at a deal that we think is fair and balanced.” The long-awaited compromise finally was met, and now football fans can be ready for the regular season to start on time, with only one preseason game lost.
The vote now is going as a recommendation to the 10 plaintiffs in the antitrust lawsuit that was filed against the NFL.
Now that the lockout is over, the usual post-season procedures, such as free agent signings and trades, can now proceed. At 6 PM Eastern time, the NFL released a list of free agents, and tomorrow, training camps will open.
This week will be an exciting one for NFL fans everywhere.
