Read the Current CBA
We’ve recently had some comments and questions come up regarding Severance Pay for players who retired in the past 10 – 15 years. And, of course, a lot of broader questions about retired players and their part in the discussions and agreements. But without actually seeing a copy of the current (2006) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), it’s hard to discuss much when you don’t know what’s in it.
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So – here’s a copy of the entire 361-page CBA that was officially adopted on March 8, 2006 and was set to expire in 2012. We’ve posted on the entire contract on Scribd for easier access and viewing. (Click on the FULL SCREEN button to enlarge it for easier navigation – hit the ESC key to close. You can also click the DOWNLOAD button to save a PDF copy for printing and reading.) The League and its owners recently decided to walk away from the agreement in advance of a new contract, leaving the possibility of an uncapped year in 2011 and a looming lockout.
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NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement 2006 – 2012
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Lionel James
February 25th, 2010 at 5:51 am #
This is an open letter to acquire responses out and discussed, because I can’t be the only player out there who has questions and concerns. Football is entertainment and the most popular sport today. I often wonder why Baseball and Basketball don’t have these problems, because more people tend to make the most noise. And going out on the limb, I would say just from the size of roosters, football should have the most voices. Before I begin to read this CBA, I notice that it’s dated 2006-2012; I need to know if this was a proposed agreement or is it written into water and not stone. It seems that we don’t all speak the same English. It seems that we’re in the Biblical protocol of the tower of Babel. The Towel of Babel is when God decided to give everyone a different language so that Man would get off of his stupidity in his attempt to reach Heaven by bridge. So again I say, what language are we speaking? An average person can’t understand what’s been written, as far as his position in the scheme of the NFL. The only reason that I can come up with as to why we have a different language is that something is being hidden from the general population of active and retired players, which happen to be the greatest group of athletes that have ever played the game of football. In medicine, Latin is the language used; in law, Greek is the language used. As football players, we know neither so therefore we need a translator to explain this mess to us. Which brings me to the same point: “NOTHING”. Maybe, the term “Game’ describes it all. Because if you choose to play a game of chance, like 21 or dice, then the rules sometimes change, depending on the game you choose. Or I should say that the game of chance has its own rules and are not universally set. With that said, we chose to play this game but we had rules within the game. But outside the game, it seems everything has been one-sided. I read L. Tomlinson’s statement from San Diego, in which he said that he would miss playing football in San Diego, but he wouldn’t miss the business side of playing. Reggie White sued for free agency. I’ll go out on a limb and say that everyone who has had an opportunity to play Pro Football went into it mind, body and soul and was completely sold into it. Sold to the point of giving up their bodies, because they believed they would be taken care of after playing the game at such a high level. The irony of all this is that we all went into it blindly and then our dedication was overlooked. It reminds me of whenever any player got hurt while I was playing and the coaches (who are just as screwed as the players – only the head coaches were fully protected) as I finally see it now, would say that you’re not injured, you’re just hurt. Then as players, we learned to fall in line with everything the coaches saw and said. Well, we probably said it to protect our jobs but looking back: Oh – how wrong we as players were. I saw players come and go with that point of view.
Who is to blame for our retirement blunder? I say the owners, the agents, the union and last but not least, we ourselves as players. In any regular businesses, they have internal affairs divisions, or Human Resources departments. Well, I’m sure the NFL has all that in place back in the basement – or possibly the attic – but I would say the BASEMENT because owners want nothing above their heads! That’s my first and only attempt at humor in discussing a serious cancerous problem.
Now we have D. Smith and R. Goodell leading the NFLPA and the NFL Owners. Now what do we expect to change? This is called insanity. We’re expecting different results from the same game plan. Please tell me: Has anyone heard of a different game plan from the two of them? I read where Goodell actually said that vets should be paid more than the unproven rookie. Well, it will almost never happen up front, because coaches and owners are ever in awe of that perfect, streamlined body of youth and will always want to have their name stamped on it. Some say it reminds them of something from our past when it comes to the sale of bodies… Well, I agree and disagree with that because the NFL Game is played by the fittest and let’s face it: with a three-year average of playing time, the rookie may be green but at least he holds promise; in the bible, it says that a child shall lead us. D. Smith – I still have no clue what he stands for. If these offices were run like a campaign, then they would have spoken and made promises and retired and active players could hold them to their promises, or at least watch to see if they are trying to attain those goals. But it seems that it is always the prodigal son that gets the job not on merit but merely birth rights. Insanity is what we have. Who out here other than the government has the power (money) to withstand this awesome catastrophe. In The United States we’re supposed to live by the people and for the people. In our case, we live by what they say. Who is “they” you might ask? It’s the owners of each individual team. Isn’t it obvious when profits are not shared fairly. Look at the Yankees; they should be winning Baseball’s main event EVERY year. Why? Because they’e empowered with cash. I had the rare opportunity to talk to an owner once and he said, “We don’t make any money with this game. My family makes all its money in real estate.” Inside I laughed, outside I said, “Is that right?” He said, “Yes!” Well that conversation ended there.
I’m going to read inside and out, and also around what is called the Anti-Trust Law. If anyone has a starting point which is an overview, please post it on Dave Pear’s Blog. I will read your blog and start there. I’m a young 47 years of age and green behind the ears of the Law, but I hear of this antitrust concept spoken of by Congress often when it pertains to our fight. This 2006 – 2012 CBA must be a proposal. If not, why does it include a past year? Like I said, I’m not up-to-date on law and just never had a reason to be until now because I realize it affects not only us but our families.
Lionel James
San Diego Chargers
1984 – 1988