On Thursday, February 20th, league owners agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). However, I’ll go over player reactions to the CBA. The new agreement is considering an expansion of the schedule to 17 games. The players would receive at least 48 percent of all money made by the league. And lastly and potentially most importantly, expanding the playoff format to 14 teams. When the owners voted on the agreement it was not unanimous; however, it had just enough yay’s to pass the vote. The final vote will be made by the players on February 21st, and if agreed upon could go into effect as soon as March 18th.
However, early current and past player reactions to the agreement is what will be analyzed.
JJ Watt
JJ Watt is probably the most notable critic of the proposed CBA. Around 7 P.M. on February 20th, the Texans premier defensive end tweeted:
Hearing this from one of the league’s most formidable and liked players is cause for some concern. Watt has been one of the top players in the NFL for the last five years. For the most part, Watt has been the league’s shiny diamond. He is the person that does all the charitable work, stays out of trouble, and plays football. Hearing this from their poster child is very discerning.
Thomas Morstead
For those who do not know, Thomas Morstead is the punter for the New Orleans Saints. Morstead took a different approach in responding to the new CBA. Rather than being either for or against the agreement, Morstead took to twitter to offer his own information to players around the league.
Morstead is offering advice to players around the league rather than openly criticizing or supporting the new agreement. Morstead has spent a considerable amount of time working with the NFL Players Association. As a result, he just wants to get the facts out without any bias from sources around the league.
Devon Kennard
Devon Kennard seemed to take a more open-minded approach to the CBA. Kennard, who is the outside linebacker for the Detroit Lions, also used Twitter to voice his opinions on the proposal, while at the same time sending shots to some big-name players.
Kennard threw subtle jabs at JJ Watt with this tweet. Although Kennard believes that there are some issues with the new proposed agreement, he also feels as if there needs to be a real conversation amongst the players. Many players will look to the superstars to hear their opinion. Unfortunately, Watt provides a one-sided reaction that could potentially influence less known players. Kennard wants it to be known that this proposition should not be taken lightly and serious considerations should be made.
Richard Sherman
Richard Sherman also found his way on twitter speaking of the new CBA. He tweeted a response to JJ Watt’s tweet that states:
Sherman commended Watt for his outspoken disapproval of the new agreement. Early reactions are exactly that. There is always room for opinions in the beginning when everything is uncertain. However, more information will be leaked after the team reps meet with the league. Some former players also expressed their opinions regarding the situation.
Damien Woody
Woody played as an offensive lineman for three different teams in his 12-year career. He currently serves as an analyst for ESPN making appearances on First Take and Sportscenter. He talked about his worries regarding the new CBA:
Pat McAfee
Pat McAfee is one of the biggest online sports personalities to date. He has his own show where he talks about a variety of topics. He is a former punter for the Indianapolis Colts where he played for eight seasons. Here is a portion of his take on the new CBA:
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