It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years since the National Football League and their Players’ Association were engaged in their most recent labor battle. Fans of the Minnesota Vikings will certainly remember it. . .because of the lockout, new head coach Leslie Frazier didn’t get the extra time to prepare his team that most new coaches are afforded. Then again, I’m not sure how much it would have helped, given that the ensuing season gave rise to the Donovan McNabb “era” in Minnesota en route to the purple finishing with a 3-13 record, tied for the worst mark in team history since the advent of the 16-game schedule.
Even though the current Collective Bargaining Agreement will run through the 2020 season, there may already be some dark clouds on the horizon.
NFLPA Exec Dir De Smith sent an email out to all NFL agents this morning, advising them to urge player clients to save money in the event of a work stoppage.
— Liz Mullen (@SBJLizMullen) May 28, 2019
"We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length," the letter states.
More in SBD.
Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal is reporting that DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA’s executive director, has already sent an e-mail out to agents to advise their clients to start saving money for a potential work stoppage. How long?
At least a year, per Smith’s warning.
The last work stoppage was long, drawn out, and bitter between both sides. I can’t imagine that another prolonged strike or lockout would do any favors for the NFL, so hopefully it can be avoided. As someone who writes a lot of stuff about this sport, I really, really hope they can work everything out, because without the NFL, things are going to be awfully dull around here.