After months of public nastiness and private negotiations, of court filings and rulings, of players and owners squabbling over more than $9 billion a year, NFL fans finally saw the handshake and heard the words they awaited: "Football's back."
The NFL Players Association executive board and 32 team reps have voted unanimously to approve the terms of a deal to the end the 4½-month lockout.
NFL owners and players agreed early Monday to the terms of a deal to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin their voting process later in the day, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller says he thinks a deal to end the NFL lockout will be reached this week — and that retired players won't stand in the way of an agreement.
The NFL wants team executives ready to be schooled in the ins and outs of a new labor contract as early as Thursday.
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{
"uri": "/2011/07/25/accord-by-nfl-players-owners-ends-18-week-lockout/",
"title": "Accord by NFL players, owners ends 18-week lockout",
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"summary": "After months of public nastiness and private negotiations, of court filings and rulings, of players and owners squabbling over more than $9 billion a year, NFL fans finally saw the handshake and heard the words they awaited: \"Football's back.\"",
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{
"uri": "/2011/07/25/players-vote-to-ok-deal-to-end-lockout/",
"title": "Players vote to OK deal to end lockout",
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"summary": "The NFL Players Association executive board and 32 team reps have voted unanimously to approve the terms of a deal to the end the 4½-month lockout.",
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"uri": "/2011/07/25/nfl-players-set-on-terms-of-deal/",
"title": "NFL, players set on terms of deal",
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"summary": "NFL owners and players agreed early Monday to the terms of a deal to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin their voting process later in the day, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.",
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"uri": "/2011/07/22/players-say-theyre-looking-at-deal/",
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"summary": "NFL Players Association president Kevin Mawae says his group's leadership is discussing the terms of \"the most recent written proposal\" from owners.",
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"uri": "/2011/07/21/nfl-owners-expect-to-vote-on-tentative-deal/",
"title": "NFL owners expect to vote on tentative deal",
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"summary": "Some discord emerged as NFL owners pored over a tentative deal to end the league's labor dispute before an expected vote Thursday.",
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{
"uri": "/2011/07/21/owners-meet-to-discuss-deal/",
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"summary": "NFL owners are arriving at a hotel near Atlanta's airport to discuss — and possibly vote on — a deal to end the lockout that began in March.",
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{
"uri": "/2011/07/20/source-no-player-vote-wednesday-on-nfl-deal/",
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"prettyDate": "July 20, 2011",
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"summary": "A person familiar with the NFL negotiations tells The Associated Press that players will not vote Wednesday on a deal to end the lockout.",
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{
"uri": "/2011/07/20/nfl-players-say-theyre-not-tied-to-deal-deadline/",
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"summary": "NFL Players Association president Kevin Mawae says his group is \"not tied\" to a Thursday deadline for getting a deal done to end the league's lockout.",
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"uri": "/2011/07/19/eller-says-retired-players-wont-block-nfl-deal/",
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"summary": "Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller says he thinks a deal to end the NFL lockout will be reached this week — and that retired players won't stand in the way of an agreement.",
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{
"uri": "/2011/07/19/nfl-players-anticipating-tentative-agreement/",
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