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That's right. Fantasy Football owners will be able to enjoy a full and complete 16-game NFL season this fall.
This after legal teams for NFL owners and players negotiated through the weekend and deep into Monday morning, wrapping up at 3 a.m. with an agreement on basic terms.
The NFLPA wanted a unanimous recommendation of the new labor deal before sending it to the rank-and-file for a 50-percent-plus-one vote, and they got it.
“It’s unanimous,” NFLPA spokesman George Atallah said on Twitter.
Both the NFLPA executive committee and all 32 player reps voted in favor of the deal. Albert Breer of NFL Network had previously reported the 10 Brady class action plaintiffs also approved of the settlement.
As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio wrote, "It’s still not over, but there’s virtually no way at least 50 percent of the players won’t agree."
The fact both sides held a joint press conference with both NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell make it clear the deal won't be derailed.
"Football is back," Goodell said.
Under the new agreement, team facilities will open as early as Tuesday and training camps will begin Wednesday for 10 teams, Thursday for 10 teams, Friday for another 10 and the remaining two on Sunday, just 15 days before the first preseason game.
Here is the breakdown of when each team begins camp, according to the NFL Network:
Teams starting training camp Wednesday are the Broncos, Cardinals, Cowboys, Chargers, Eagles, Jaguars, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, and Seahawks
Teams starting training camp Thursday are the 49ers, Bengals, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Dolphins, Falcons, Lions, Redskins, Saints and Steelers.
Teams starting training camp Friday are the Bears, Bills, Browns, Colts, Giants, Packers, Panthers, Rams, Titans, and Vikings.
Teams starting training camp Sunday are Jets and Texans.
As for the remaining timeline?
Florio obtained the actual hard copy being considered by the NFLPA Executive Committee and board of player representatives. Titled “Article 11, Transition Rules for the 2011 League Year,” here’s what the document provides:
That also means the deadline for recertification and ratification of the collective bargaining agreement by the players is August 4.
Benefits and health care, handling of grievances and the substance-abuse policy are all things that players will negotiate after they reform as a union, but ESPN insider Adam Schefter reports the lack of a CBA will not hold up 2011 league business from beginning.
The owners don't need to vote again.
The NFL will hold two conference calls Monday afternoon, one for league general managers at 3 p.m. ET, and another for coaches at 5 p.m. ET.
In case you missed it, the major economic framework for the deal was worked out more than a week ago.
That included how the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues will be divided (about 53 percent to owners and 47 percent to players over the next decade; the old CBA resulted in nearly a 50-50 split); a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses in 2011 -- and at least that in 2012 and 2013 -- plus about $22 million for benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.
But wait. ... It gets better.
According to Breer, there will be no opt-out in the 10-year deal, after much haggling over it.
That means 10 years of labor peace for the NFL.
So as Glazer put it, "For months there have been reports surfacing that a deal was close to completion, only to be false. Now it appears the NFL will be back without any games except the Hall of Fame Game being canceled."
And Fantasy Nation can start plotting strategies in earnest -- which is clearly the best news of all.
Some things I'll be watching closely and following up in the coming days and week:
With a number of key Fantasy prospects (players like DeAngelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, Cedric Benson, Matt Hasselbeck, Sidney Rice, Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Santana Moss, Joseph Addai, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams being just a few of those who are about to get a chance to change teams), the impending free-agent frenzy will be tracked closely.
Rules changes and other tweaks (roster issues, game-day inactives and the padded practices being limited to just 14 all season long) will also be of interest to Fantasy owners. We will follow up on all.
And one last thing: We're going to see a number of players with previously unknown and undisclosed injury issues (including conditioning issues) come to light as the teams report to camps. There will be some surprises on the PUP lists.
So keep checking back. We'll have something for you.