A proposal is on the table to have players agree to put 35% of their salary in escrow
The NFL might be facing some issues due to a new proposal it has just laid out for players in an effort to ensure the league has enough money to run this 2020 season. Even though it is one of the richest sports league in the country, the NFL has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and it is concerned about the development of the upcoming season. Therefore, the NFL wants to be prepared for things like playing games without fans’ attendance, which would be a significant loss of revenue for a league that plays to sellout crowds. One of the proposals that are in the air is the possibility of holding 35% of player salaries in escrow to help manage costs, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. However, as should have been foreseen, the idea is going over with players like a ton of bricks.
After the report, several players quickly responded to the possibility of this proposal. The first one was New Orleans Saints All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas, who said that players would “sit out” before agreeing to have their salaries cut. “Lol everyone will sit out and not play until they get their stuff together before we do this,” wrote Thomas. Others shared similar responses, and Don Davis of the players union told the league to “kick rocks.”
Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs didn’t respond to the suggestion that most are calling absurd, but he did comment on how it would be for players to play matches in empty stadiums. He shared a series of tweets last night after the proposal went public, “I miss football … I love football … with all of me … But there’s so many unanswered questions with this upcoming season. I’d be lying if I said I was comfortable starting back up. I’ve been training my butt off just trying to stay ready and prepared. I’ve never played a game with zero fans in the stands. Even in little league we at least had parents and other family members … this will be weird if it happens.” The times are so uncertain that not even the NFL knows for sure how the next season will develop, so playing games with empty stadiums might still happen.
