This week, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith urged all agents to advise their clients to save money in the event of a labor stoppage in 2021, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily (on Twitter). 
“With a possible work stoppage less than two years away, this is the opportune time to set up a structured and organized savings and budgeting plan with your clients,” Smith wrote in the email. “I can’t stress enough the importance of having our player members in a sound financial situation should a work stoppage occur. We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length. We are also encouraging all players to save 50% of their salary and bonuses and to save the entirety of their Performance Based Pay amounts they should earn over the next two regular seasons.”
This is the first time that the union has ever made such an appeal via agents, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com hears, though an NFLPA source says Smith has communicated similar messages in public speeches and direct conversations with players. Furthermore, the union does not want the letter to be taken as a sign that CBA talks are going poorly. As another source put it, the letter is part of the union’s “ongoing message to negotiate for the best but prepare for the worst.”
As Graziano notes, Smith has had a rocky relationship with agents and some have smashed the union chief for his perceived lack of results in the last round of talks.
Better save your money. I know how you gonna be able to live off at 5 -30 million dollar a year salary if you have 1 year off. smh.
a lot of players don’t make millions.
Players should ask Lev Bell how it was not working for a year passing on $14m. He texted non stop how he wouldn’t settle for less going to NYJ and he did, and how his ‘market’ really wasn’t much of one.
But a canceled season would look really great with the Raiders on the move to Vegas! That’s the way to appeal to a brand-new custom built stadium there and the other in LA.
This is never going to happen. The league, owners and players are never going to let billions of dollars go for minor contractual issues.
Vince McMahon is rubbing his hands together and laughing!
Vince McMahon dies that regardless.
XFL can’t afford to pay the lowest paid NFL player let alone the stars.
Most of these guys live way above their means. The top players can hold out its the lowest players who can’t afford.
Presently, the NFL’s image isn’t super healthy and adding a work stoppage would severely further damage it. Stupid move on both sides if they allow it to happen.
Go ahead, go on strike. I don’t have cable, anyways.
Well the games are mostly on network tv so…….
If they miss a full year, people will quickly discover that they don’t actually need the NFL to survive…
I really don’t anticipate much change from one CBA to the next. The NFLPA is representing some 1,800 players and most of them make less than $1M/year. Certainly a sizable salary, but with the average NFL career being 3-4 years, missing out on ~30% of a players career will make a number of players very vocal. The ball is not only on the owners side of the court, but in their building, their league.
a year off would really help me get a lot more things done around the house.
As of 2019, the NFL minimum wage for a rookie is $495,000.00 per year. ANYBODY in the league should be able to salt away enough to handle a year off.
Terrell Owens and Warren Sapp say “hello!”
I’m assuming that’s gross, before taxes and before agent fees
Inevitable.