Published 10 days ago • loading... • Updated 8 days ago

Arbitrator Finds NFL Encouraged Teams to Cut Veteran Guarantees: Reports

Arbitrator Christopher Droney issued a ruling on January 14, 2025, dismissing the NFLPA's grievance accusing NFL owners of collusion at the March 2022 owners' meeting.
The complaint arose after the Cleveland Browns secured Deshaun Watson with a $230 million contract that guaranteed his salary in full, leading to accusations of a coordinated effort among NFL owners to prevent other players from receiving similar fully guaranteed deals.
The NFL Management Council, with Commissioner Goodell's approval, urged all 32 NFL clubs at the March 2022 meeting to reduce guaranteed money in veteran contracts but did not reach a collusive agreement.
Droney determined that while the NFL Management Council’s communication to the owners went beyond simply providing information and clearly urged teams to curb the rising frequency and amount of player guarantees, there was insufficient proof to establish that collusion had occurred.
The ruling implies future collective bargaining negotiations will likely exclude fully guaranteed contracts, showing how the NFL structure allows coordinated messaging without legal findings of collusion.

Insights by Ground AI

Does this summary seem wrong?

67 Articles

All

Left

Center

Right

Athletic Business

Center

Documents Apper to Indicate NFL, Owners Colluded to Limit Player Contract Guarantees

According to a 61-page document obtained by podcaster Pablo Torre, the NFL management council encouraged teams to limit the amount of guaranteed money in contracts during a 2022 owners meeting.

9 days ago

Read Full Article

Sportskeeda

Center

Leaked NFL owners' texts expose collusion to suppress QB guarantees after Kyler Murray’s $230,500,000 contract extension with Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals drafted Kyler Murray with the first pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He has been their starting quarterback since and is gearing up for his seventh campaign with the team.

9 days ago

Read Full Article

Sports Illustrated

Lean Left

Documents Reveal NFL Encouraged Owners to Reduce Contract Guarantees

An arbitrator ruled the league encouraged its owners to reduce guaranteed money in contracts, but stopped short of charging them with collusion

10 days ago·New York, United States

Read Full Article

ESPN

Lean Left

Arbiter says NFL urged clubs to limit guarantees

An arbiter ruled in January that there was no collusion by NFL clubs in response to a grievance filed by the NFL Players Association in 2022 that alleged the league and its member clubs colluded to restrict or limit fully guaranteed player contracts.

10 days ago·United States

Read Full Article