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By Frank Pingue
(Reuters) - The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) board of
representatives decided against holding a vote on the owners'
proposed terms of a new collective bargaining agreement on
Friday after its executive committee recommended they reject the
deal.
The decision came a day after owners approved a potential new
deal that, among other things, would give the NFL the option to
expand to a 17-game schedule, increase players' revenue share
and increase the playoff field to 14 teams from 12.
Earlier on Friday, the 11-member NFLPA Executive Committee which
led negotiations with owners from the union side, voted 6-5
against recommending the proposed agreement to the overall body
of players.
Had the 32-member board of player representatives opted to hold
a vote on the proposed deal it would have needed a two-thirds
majority and then a majority vote by all players to take effect.
"Our player leadership looks forward to meeting with NFL
management again next week before the Board takes a vote shortly
after," the NFLPA said in a statement.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and
the NFL Players Association expires following the 2020 season.
Many players have been outspoken about the prospect of extending
the current 16-game regular season, including San Francisco
49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, who is a member of the NFL
Players Association's Executive Committee.
"I don't think it's something that players are interested in,
honestly, and if that's the point they are negotiating on, I
think these negotiations are going to go a lot longer than
anticipated," Sherman said recently.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, one of the more
prominent voices in the NFL, took to Twitter after the owners'
meeting on Thursday to express where he stood on the proposed
collective bargaining agreement.
"Hard no on that proposed CBA," Watt tweeted.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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