NFL owners accepted terms to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement Thursday.
Three- fourths of the owners needed to agree for the new CBA to be ratified. While the vote wasn't unanimous, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, they did get enough of the votes for the agreement to be ratified.
In the proposed agreement, the NFL would expand the regular season from 16 games to 17 while shortening the preseason to only 3 games. In addition, seven teams from each conference would make the playoffs instead of the current six allowed. One team from each conference would receive a playoff bye-week.
The agreement will now go to the Players Association, and if accepted, the changes in the agreement could take effect as soon as the 2020 season.
NFLPA representatives will meet on Friday to discuss the agreement and could end the meeting on a vote. They would need two-thirds of the representatives to vote for the CBA to move forward.
The next step in the process would be for the CBA to go to all NFL players for a vote. A majority of players would be need to agree to the terms for the CBA to pass.
In the past players have opposed extending the season because of potential health risks, but union leaders endorse that terms in the agreement voice for a higher percentage of league revenue going to players, improvements in the drug policy and discipline policy, according to ESPN.
