Report: Players Vote No Longer Expected Friday

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen just reported live from the NFLPA headquarters in Washington, D.C. that while yesterday it appeared the players would have ample time to go through the proposed CBA and possibly vote to ratify it by the end of Friday, it now appears that the more likely timeline is for next week. NFL fans have waited 129 days, what’s three or four more, right?

Well, it wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t feel like we were so close. The owners voted to ratify the proposal yesterday, but the players were apparently taken by surprise by enough that they felt like they were the victim of a “power play” by the owners. The players had better be careful about whom they accuse of trying to make them look like the bad guys to the fans. A good majority of fans this entire offseason have shown a vast amount of hatred toward the owners. Remember “Let us play” players? Yeah, that was you swaying the general public in your direction, so don’t try to act like victims here.

NFLPA executive DeMaurice Smith is in Massachusetts this morning for the funeral of Myra Kraft, the late wife of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Due to the fact that the death of a loved one and a dear loved one of a good friend is a serious matter, we as fans should also pay our respects and let this whole process play out without bickering.

In the end, I think the proposal sent to the players by the owners is likely to be ratified, it’s just a matter of when the deal gets done. Will it be late tonight? Tomorrow? Monday? Tuesday? Certainly the players didn’t come this far and negotiate this far in a deal to reject what is likely to be the best offer for both sides.

Again, if you are an NFL fan, you may as well keep your pants on tight, because this deal is likely not getting done today, but we could see it done tomorrow or early next week, hopefully in time for training camps to get started ASAP.