NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 33
Practice Squads

Section 7
Standard Contagious Disease Addendum

(a)

All Practice Squad players will execute an addendum to the Practice Squad Player Contract relating to the Contagious Disease Policy (as set forth in Appendix J).

(b)

If a player is elevated from Practice Squad to the Active/Inactive List for a game because a club was given roster exemptions due to confirmed or suspected cases of a contagious disease among its players, then the terms of the addendum in that Player’s Practice Player Contract will be in effect. A Practice Squad player who is elevated to the Active/Inactive List under these circumstances will not be required to sign an NFL Player Contract for that game.

(c)

If a player is elevated from the Practice Squad to the affected Club’s Active/Inactive List, the player’s weekly compensation specified in Paragraph 4 of the Practice Squad Player Contract will be adjusted to 1/17th of the Paragraph 5 minimum salary for Active/Inactive List players with the same number of credited seasons for such game. Any games for which a player is elevated in this manner to the Active/Inactive List would count for purposes of earning a Credited Season for both minimum salary and pension credit and an Accrued Season for purposes of free agency, even though player is playing under the aforementioned addendum to his Practice Squad Player Contract.

(d)

At the conclusion of the club’s game, any player who was elevated from the Practice Squad to the affected club’s Active/Inactive List for the game will automatically revert to the club’s Practice Squad roster without going through waivers.

(e)

In the event a Practice Squad player: (1) sustains a football-related injury (either in a practice prior to the game or in the game itself) after being elevated to the Active/Inactive List under the circumstances described in Subsection (b) above, and (2) is physically unable to practice or play for the Club due to the injury, then the player’s weekly compensation specified in Paragraph 4 of the Practice Squad Player Contract will be adjusted to 1/17th of the Paragraph 5 minimum salary for players not on a Club’s Active/Inactive List (i.e., the “down” amount) with the same number of Credited Seasons. Such a player shall receive this weekly “Salary Continuation” for so long as he remains physically unable to perform the services required of him because of such injury. Once the Practice Squad player is physically able to perform the services required of him by his Practice Squad Player Contract, then his salary will be adjusted to the amount set forth in Paragraph 4 (“Compensation”) of that contract for the period of time he remains on the club’s Practice Squad. Any dispute concerning the player’s entitlement to Salary Continuation while he remains on the Club’s Practice Squad and/or any dispute concerning the number of weeks of Salary Continuation to which the player may be entitled shall be resolved in accordance with the rules and procedures set forth in Article 43 (Non-Injury Grievance) of this Agreement. The neutral physician procedures set forth in Article 44 (Injury Grievance) shall apply to any such grievance.

(f)

If a Practice Squad player sustains a football-related injury during the game in which he was elevated (or during a practice after being elevated to the Club’s Active/Inactive List but prior to the game) and is subsequently placed on the Club’s Practice Squad/Injured list, he will be paid Salary Continuation (for so long as he remains physically unable to perform the services required of him because of such injury) at a rate equal to the prorated portion of the Paragraph 5 minimum salary for players not on a Club’s Active/Inactive List (i.e., the “down” amount) with the same number of Credited Seasons. Once the Practice Squad player is physically able to perform the services required of him by his Practice Squad Player Contract, his salary will be adjusted to the amount set forth in Paragraph 4 of that contract for the period of time he remains on the Club’s Practice Squad/Injured list. Any dispute concerning the player’s entitlement to Salary Continuation while he remains on the Club’s Practice Squad/Injured list and/or any dispute concerning the number of weeks of Salary Continuation to which the player may be entitled shall be resolved in accordance with the rules and procedures set forth in Article 43 (Non-Injury Grievance) of this Agreement. The neutral physician procedures set forth in Article 44 (Injury Grievance) shall apply to any such grievance.

(g)

If a player receives salary under the circumstances set forth in Subsections (e) or (f) above, then those games shall count toward a Credited Season under the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan.

(h)

If a Club chooses to add the Practice Squad player to its Active/Inactive List following the game in which exemptions were granted and the player was elevated, then the Club must follow all of the established procedures for signing a Practice Squad player to an NFL Player Contract (including making room for that player on club’s Active/Inactive List).

(i)

Use of these procedures by any Club in any week of the regular or postseason shall be in the sole discretion of the Club subject only to prior approval of the Commissioner and after a showing of confirmed or suspected contagious disease among its players. The NFLPA and its Medical Director shall be informed when such procedures are invoked.