Steelers’ Art Rooney: New NFL CBA ‘Win-Win Arrangement’

The NFL Players Association announced on Sunday that they had passed a new collective bargaining agreement by a slim margin, with voting ending late on Saturday night.

Steelers president Art Rooney II, speaking on the matter publicly for the first time, said that the ownership deal approved by the players represents a fair deal for both sides.

“We are excited to have come to terms with the NFLPA on a new collective bargaining agreement that I believe is fair for players, teams and our fans,” Rooney wrote in a statement released by the team on Sunday.

“Many people worked very hard at finalizing this agreement. It is a win-win arrangement that will allow the NFL to continue to grow and provide significant increased benefits to both current and retired players.

“It is great that she can now move forward and allow the focus to remain on our team’s preparations for free agency, the draft, and then the 2020 season without any disruptions associated with the absence of a new labor agreement.”

That preparation will begin quickly, as the NFL’s pre-free agency legal contact period is scheduled to open Monday, the same day that decisions are due on franchise tags, including Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree.