While it’s flown largely under the radar, the NFL has been addressing a grievance from the NFL Players Association regarding fully guaranteed contracts for prominent veteran quarterbacks. This case was resolved last week with minimal reporting, as an arbitrator issued a 61-page ruling. According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL has cited a confidentiality order that applies to the arbitration to explain the scarcity of coverage. However, this confidentiality does not prevent either party from disclosing the arbitration’s outcome; its intent is simply to protect the process from scrutiny during review.
Both the league and the Players Association have chosen to keep the arbitration’s results under wraps, but Pro Football Talk has uncovered some insights into the arbitrator’s decision. The league indeed encouraged teams to refrain from offering fully guaranteed contracts, but the evidence related to key quarterbacks—Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, and Kyler Murray—was insufficient to warrant damages, according to sources from PFT. This outcome presents a victory of sorts for both sides: the Players Union demonstrated collusion, while the league established that no damages occurred.
The two parties are poised for another confrontation soon, as the NFL seeks to expand the regular season from 17 to 18 games—something the Players Association is likely to oppose due to concerns over player safety. It will be intriguing to see who prevails in this next round.
