In 2011, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and National Football League (NFL) team owners negotiated the most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA), a process which was difficult and protracted. The NFL owners used a process known as a “lockout” to prevent the players from working (and consequently collecting any pay) during the negotiations. The negotiations were very contentious. Ultimately, due in large part to the direct participation of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the parties were able to reach a new CBA.
As the 2011 CBA expires at the end of the 2020 season, in February 2021, the owners and the NFLPA will begin negotiating the terms of a new CBA. The 2021 negotiations promise to be a fascinating labor process, and the seeds of that negotiation are being planted now.
