NFL news: Players will vote on 17-game season proposal in new CBA

The NFLPA will vote on a proposal by the league to extend the season's schedule to 17 games as a means to negotiate with players' demands in next CBA.

The NFL has been constructing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and after Super Bowl LIV on Sunday, there could be a monumental change coming to the NFL. After Sunday's highly anticipated game, the players will vote on a 17-game season proposal in the new CBA, per Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN.

In recent seasons, it's known that the NFL has been trying to conduct ideas to extend the regular season. But over the past year, those talks have ramped up as the league has landed on 17 games as the target.

While the NFL is pushing for a 17-game season, the NFLPA hasn't been content with the proposals they've seen thus far. Richard Sherman, a key member of the players union, called out the NFL recently for their “hypocrisy” for wanting an expanded regular season.

For months, the players' stance has been that a longer regular season neglects the safety of the players. At the same time, it's naive to believe that money can't convince the players to be in favor of the idea.

Shortly after Sunday's Super Bowl, the NFL will hold a meeting at an undisclosed location. Of course, the meeting will be focused on trying to get both sides to agree on a solution. In the event that the players vote for the 17-game season, it appears that a new CBA is nearing completion.

If both sides are unable to negotiate a plausible agreement, the NFL could be headed towards a lockout in 2021. Given that, the voting for a 17-game season could be the deciding factor between a new CBA or a work stoppage after next season.