NFL Owners, Players Agree to One Week Extension

Just hours after the NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to extend the negotiating window for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to Friday, that extension was extended until Friday, March 11, according to a report on ESPN.com.

The two sides will resume talks on Monday under the continued supervision of federal mediator George Cohen, ESPN said.

The original window was to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday

The sides have been meeting consistently for days to try to come to a resolution on the issues at hand, which are largely money and how to divide the pieces of the pie.

That pie is currently estimated to be $9 billion per year, of which the owners currently get $1 billion.  The players get just under 60 percent of the remaining $8 billion.

The owners now want to up their take to $2 billion, leaving a smaller chunk for the players.

Other issues being discussed are the extension of the regular season from 16 games to 18 (with the subtraction of two preseason games), the addition of a rookie salary cap and healthcare for retired players.

According to various reports, if the NFLPA decertifies to block the lockout, NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees will be the lead plaintiffs in an antrtrust lawsuit against the NFL.  At that point, the union would no longer represent the players and they'd be taking their chances in court.

Stay on top of the latest Dallas Cowboys news with NBCDFW.com. Follow NBC DFW Sports on Facebook or have breaking Cowboys news sent directly to your phone with Blue Star SMS alerts. Text "bluestar" to 622339 (NBCDFW) to subscribe to this free service.  Read more about it here.

Contact Us