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PFT has obtained the full content of the most recent NFL proposal to the NFL Players’ Association, which means that the weekend will feature a series of introductory material regarding various aspects of the league position.
First, one of the most intriguing aspects of professional football in a pandemic: the ability of players to choose not to play.
The deadline for making an all-or-nothing decision is August 1 at 5 p.m. ET. Written notice “must be received” by the team before this time; once notice is received regarding a particular player, the withdrawal becomes irrevocable. So, unlike a holdout (which can end at any time), the withdrawing player cannot play at all in 2020.
A player who withdraws will have his toll contract for a full year. He will not receive his base salary or any other scheduled payment after the date of waiver, and he will not earn any accrued benefit or season credit. In 2021, his contract will be reinstated. If he “timely reports all required activities” in 2021, the withdrawal will not become a violation of his 2020 contract, which “will not subject him to discipline or forfeiture, void any bonus or guarantee or will not have any other adverse consequences. beyond those stated here. “
It is an important provision. The player who retires in 2020 cannot keep or otherwise terminate his contract in 2021; if he does, his withdrawal becomes a breach of his contract, after the fact.
The retiring player will receive an allowance of $ 150,000 for 2020 – less the amounts already received by the player in 2020. The balance (up to $ 150,000) would be treated as an advance on the player’s base salary 2021. (This implies that players not on contract for 2021 would not be eligible for the allowance.)
Here’s the most intriguing aspect of the unsubscribe proposal: the NFL offer states that “[n]o the club can renegotiate a contract with any player who has notified his intention to withdraw. In practice, this gives the player until August 1 to use the threat of a potential withdrawal as leverage to secure a new deal.
The agent’s message to the team would be: “My client wants to play this year, but he has serious reservations about league safety procedures, and he’s worried about catching the virus and passing it on to his family. But he would be prepared to take the increased risk of playing this year if he got a new contract. “
For players who have already expressed dissatisfaction with their contract, such as the Vikings’ offensive half Dalvin Cook, this is potentially the ultimate all-in move. If he retires, he’s done for the year. And while he would still be subject to the terms of his 2020 contract in 2021, the Vikings would not have him in the squad in 2020. Would the threat of a withdrawal be enough to make them pay Cook?
A final point on the withdrawal: it is irrevocable both for the player’s team and for any other team. Although he can be traded or released after his withdrawal, the player cannot play for any team in 2020, once the withdrawal notice is received.
Again, these terms are only from the latest NFL offer. The union may request and obtain a later withdrawal date or the conditional option to return before a specific date later in the year or more money for 2020 or other conditions not currently in the offer. For now, however, it’s clear that the league is ready to let a player choose not to play, subject to broader agreement on the terms and conditions of the 2020 season.
