The NFL and NFLPA have a collective bargaining agreement in place that’s set to expire at the end of the 2020 season, and it appears teams are preparing for a strike in 2021.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there is language in the contracts of new coaches that indicate teams are preparing for a work stoppage in 2021.
“In coaching contracts negotiated in the past week, teams are addressing how much each coach would make — or lose — in the event of a work stoppage, according to sources,” Schefter wrote. “Teams are trying to protect themselves and save money in the event of missed time, using different percentages for amounts of the football season that could be missed in 2021.”
The NFLPA has been hinting that players should prepare for a strike for a while now. There are plenty of huge items on the table that will be fought over, including the amount of guarantees in contracts, cannabis as a banned substance, and just how much power Roger Goodell should have over the players when it comes to seemingly arbitrary discipline.
Schefter notes that his source “thought both teams and coaches are confident that there will be some type of disruption” and noted the language that’s showing up in coach’s contracts will likely start showing up in new player deals this coming spring as well.