Done deal: New CBA if officially ratified
In the NFLPA office in Washington, they’re popping bottles of champagne.
At the NFL office in New York, they’ve already retired the Twitter handle NFLLabor. They won’t break it out again for at least a decade. The collective bargaining agreement was officially ratified this afternoon, meaning the new 10-year agreement takes effect and free agents can begin practicing with their new teams.
It’s a big step for the owners and players and once again it came down to some last-minute wheeling and dealing. The parties reportedly met into the wee hours this morning and then got back to the bargaining table to finish the matter.
Who’s most relieved? Maybe NFL Network reporter Albert Breer who crisscrossed the country following the story that just seemed like it wouldn’t go away.
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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune