New NFL CBA approved by slim margin; playoffs will expand in 2020

The NFL and NFL Players Association have a new collective bargaining agreement in place.

On Sunday, the NFLPA released a statement announcing that the new CBA has been approved by a vote total of 1,019 to 959. All that was needed for the CBA to be ratified was a simple majority, but that gives you an idea of how split players were on the new agreement.

Our statement on the CBA vote: pic.twitter.com/3pXydLLQ9c

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) March 15, 2020

With the new CBA comes some significant changes for the league. The playoff field will expand with two additional teams beginning next season, and only one team from each conference will earn a bye. The regular season will also expand to 17 games beginning in 2021. The new agreement runs through the 2030 season. There will be no more suspensions for marijuana.

Perhaps the biggest sticking point for the agreement was an increase in minimum salaries, which impacts more than half of the players in the NFL. That is why the CBA had been expected to pass, though it is somewhat surprising that it passed by such a slim margin.

Having a new CBA in place before the start of free agency is significant, as it could impact the contract talks of some of the biggest stars in the league.