Appeals Panel Confirms Absence of Collusion in Quarterback Contract Negotiations
An appeals panel composed of three people upheld this Friday the decision of an arbitrator who determined the insufficiency of evidence to demonstrate collusion between teams in the contract negotiations of Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson in 2022. This is indicated by a copy of the ruling obtained by several media outlets.
Although the panel acknowledged that the NFL “invited teams to participate in collusion” and called the effort “incorrect,” it concluded that there was not enough evidence to prove the teams’ participation in such collusion.
The panel upheld arbitrator Christopher Droney’s January 2025 decision.
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) argued that the owners violated the collective bargaining agreement by colluding in contract negotiations with quarterbacks, following the record-breaking and fully guaranteed contract signed by Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022.
The case focused on whether Watson’s $230 million deal affected negotiations with Murray, Jackson, and Wilson; none of the three signed fully guaranteed deals.
In July, it was reported that the NFL and the then-leaders of the NFLPA had reached a confidentiality agreement to keep the arbitration decision secret from the players.
