Column: NFL wins again with deal players didn't have to make

More money, more jobs, and more for retirement.

Those are kind of things negotiated in most union contracts, and union that represents NFL players got m in new deal that ties NFL and its players toger for next decade.

But more work, too? Who would negotiate that?

That’s what a lot of NFL players must be wondering after a vote to approve new collective bargaining agreement barely squeaked past members. vote released Sunday revealed a deep schism among players when it came to centerpiece of agreement — a 17th regular season game in exchange for owners throwing a few more financial crumbs ir way.

re’s such schism among NFL owners. y’re popping champagne corks after getting players to sign off on a deal that guarantees ir golden goose remains golden for at least ar 10 years.

What’s t to like about getting more regular-season games — and more playoff games ( though owners can impose that unilaterally) — for upcoming television deals that will make ir billion-dollar franchises even more valuable than before?

``We are pleased that players have voted to ratify proposed new CBA, which will provide substantial benefits to all current and retired players, increase jobs, ensure continued progress on player safety, and give our fans more and better football,’’ Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

t so pleased are some of NFL’s elite players, who already have big salaries and weren’t looking for more work. y’ll be risking ir bodies at least one more Sunday a year when league goes to an expanded scheduled as soon as 2021 season.

``It seems like player safety has a price tag,’’ 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said at Super Bowl. ``You kw, player safety up to point of, hey, 17 games makes us this much money. So y really don’t care how safe we are.’’

t safer than before, that’s for sure. A 17th game t only increases chance of injury to players but adds wear and tear to bodies that struggle to make it through season intact as it is.

Yes, players do get fewer practices in pads and one less exhibition game as part of trade off. re are more jobs — and more money — for those who stay healthy and productive.

And retirees make out better, too, with larger pensions and more players included in pension pool.

That’s all well and good for a union that struggles to get same kind of deals that baseball and basketball players take for granted. NFLPA always seems to be playing catch-up when it goes against hard-line owners who have beaten union down before and would t be averse to doing it again.

But this was a deal that didn’t need to be made, at least right w. re’s still ar year left on current pact, and plenty of time to twist arms of owners — even with implicit warning from on top that this was best y could do.

And to make it for 10 years? Didn’t players learn anything from current contract that began when some players were still in middle school?

That means at least ar decade without guaranteed deals for most players. Ar decade with cheap rookie deals that for many will be only contract y ever get.

It’s eugh to make Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gas up his new yacht and party like one had ever heard of coronavirus.

“Can’t believe we agreed to that lol," Colts tight end Eric Ebron tweeted. "We can only play this game for so long and y’all didn’t want everything we could get out of it? ... 2030 y’all do better.”

Players didn’t agree to it by much. final vote was a razor-thin 1,019-959 for approving deal, and some 500 eligible players didn’t even bor to vote.

Hardly an overwhelming mandate. But for many players promise of more money was too much to resist. Indeed, owners knew what y were doing when y dangled just eugh sweeteners in front of players, kwing many are more concerned with what y might make today than what will happen to m over next 10 years.

n again, with a pandemic ravaging world, maybe y figured that even if new contracts aren’t guaranteed, thing else in life is eir.

NFL will soon begin negotiating new TV and digital deals, and more billions to add to league coffers. Players will get a percent of that, so y’ve got incentive to make a deal for common good.

or incentive is that aver NFL career lasts only a few years, so y might as well grab everything y can right w. Players are doing just that in a deal y rushed into making.