Buffalo Bills NFLPA representative Patrick DiMarco has kept quiet on the voting for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. That is until he spoke with WGR 550’s morning show on Monday. You can listen to the full audio below.
DiMarco says he voted yes on moving forward the potential CBA to a player vote “because he wanted to get the vote to the rest of his team and let them read it.”
Major changes are in place for the proposed CBA including adding another playoff team in each conference (bringing the total to seven), adding a regular season game to the schedule beginning in 2021, reducing the number of preseason game from four to three, further reducing the amount of contact and the structure of training camp, increasing the revenue share for the players from 47% to 48.5% on a 17-game schedule, and increasing job opportunities and salaries for the players at the bottom of the roster.
Owners voted almost two weeks ago to approve the negotiated contract, but the NFLPA executive board voted down moving on with the contract language in a close 6-5 vote. After further negotiations last week changed a few details, the NFLPA Board of Player Representatives approved the contract overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday in a 17-14 vote with one abstention. (The executive board did not re-vote.)
DiMarco was one of the 17 yes votes and he personally supports the deal.
The biggest sticking point for most players is whether or not they are receiving enough of an increased revenue for playing in another game. DiMarco doesn’t see that as a problem, saying the players are receiving enough back to make it worth it.
“It’s an extra two, three, or maybe four to five extra games for most players’ careers and if they turn it down now the next CBA will have 17 games anyway,” said DiMarco. “So why not get the most that we can right now out of this deal and not miss any football?”
The current CBA doesn’t expire until a year from now and we are still 20 months away from losing any games due to a work stoppage, but that hasn’t stopped DiMarco from using it in his line of defense.
“I don’t want my locker room to go without money, especially with all the new guys coming in,” said DiMarco about a possible work stoppage.
Former Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander is still on the executive council of the NFLPA until their next voting meeting in March. He spoke with Pat McAfee about the CBA. Here are his clips:
Chatting about the CBA negotiations with NFLPA VP @onemangang97 #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/5ocNsUNSRD
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 2, 2020
NFLPA VP and former Buffalo Bill @onemangang97 talks about the proposed CBA and what else NFLPA would like to see changed #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/Guk556sX0n
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 2, 2020
NFLPA VP @onemangang97 addresses helping retired players in the new CBA #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/SehjCoFsYM
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 2, 2020
NFLPA VP @onemangang97 speaks on his decision to vote yes and getting all the players from the top tier, the middle class, and bottom of the roster all on the same page #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/2kN1H51z1E
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 2, 2020
It’s unclear when players will vote on the new contract, though the NFLPA’s annual meeting is March 8-11 in South Florida. A simple majority of the approximately 2000 voting members is required for approval.