Multiple reports indicate that the NFL and the players’ union have decided to extend the expiration of the current labor deal by one week, from March 4 until March 11.
The drop-or-get-off-the-dropper moment currently is March 11 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Some reports indicate the union’s Executive Committee must approve the extension before it becomes finalized. Prior reports indicated that the union was on board with the extension; it would be a shock if the Executive Committee insists on approving it now.
Given the report from Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports regarding the resistance NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith faced on Thursday from the Executive Committee, it makes sense to wait for the official announcement of the extension before exhaling.
So stay-tuned for another nine-word statement from George Cohen.
It remains to be seen whether talks will continue over the weekend, or whether they’ll resume Monday. Though there’s benefit in having time to retreat and evaluate, we prefer to see the two sides continuing to meet until they get a deal done or until they hit the proverbial wall.
UPDATE: NFLPA spokesman George Atallah says, via Twitter, that the Executive Committee is indeed voting on the extension. “There is a process that we will respect,” Atallah said.
UPDATE II: The extension was passed after a vote from the Executive Committee. Talks will resume Monday.