Watch CBS News

Football On The Horizon: New CBA Is Finished

DETROIT (CBS) - The labor deal -- and the path to NFL football in 2011 -- is finally, truly done. Well, almost.

That's the report from CBSSports.com's own Mike Freeman, who writes that the owners and players have agreed to a new CBA.

"It's done," one player source told Freeman. "We have an agreement. Now we just have to vote."

Now, the majority of the players (50 percent, plus one) have to agree to the deal in order to end the lockout for good. Players will fly into Washington on Sunday in order to go over last-minute details. They're then expected to vote Monday, and a news conference should occur shortly thereafter.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, once the deal is ratified, free agency and training camp likely will begin on the same day.

Saturday was a huge day in moving along negotiations, and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly worked hard together to make sure there wasn't any additional trouble between the two sides.

On Monday, the NFLPA executive committee will meet in Washington, and it'll pass along its recommendations to the players -- to ratify the new CBA AND to reform the NFLPA as a union -- who will have to sign off on both deals in order to begin the new league year.

The plaintiffs in the Brady v NFL case (including Chargers WR Vincent Jackson, who reportedly dropped his demand to be paid $10 million or be exempt from the franchise tag) would then have to consent to the deal, and the lawsuit -- and any other judicial matters between the two sides -- would be kaput.

And most importantly, we'd have football again.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.