Former NFLPA president explains why he believes league’s franchise tag is ‘un-American’

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

Please enter a valid email address.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided.

Having trouble? Click here.

The NFL franchise tag has long been a topic of discussion among players in the league, but one former player has the latest hot take on the controversial contract situation. 

Domonique Foxworth, a former defensive back in the league, believes the franchise tag is “un-American.”

“So is the salary cap,” the ESPN analyst said on the “Ross Tucker Football Podcast” Monday. “Like all of these are actually illegal. They violate antitrust law.”

Foxworth, who used to be president of the NFL Players Association, as well as COO of the National Basketball Players Association, has seen it all from a contractual standpoint in multiple leagues. He explained his case further. 

“They only exist because the union exists,” Foxworth said. “The funny thing is, in ’93, the way the union was able to get free agency was by de-certifying the union, essentially disbanding the union and forming a trade association and suing the league for their antitrust violations, which include the Draft and all that sort of stuff and not allowing players to have free agency. 

“The ironic thing is, upon coming to a settlement, the league required that the players re-form a union, because they needed that union to protect them so they could be allowed to have all these antitrust violations. So, while I think obviously as a former president and leader of two sports unions and very heavily involved, I think the union is very much for the rights of the players. It provides a great deal of protection for the league also. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be allowed to have a draft, or collude in the many ways they are legally allowed to collude.”

COACHES INVOLVED IN CAM NEWTON FIGHT REVEAL WHAT LED TO ALTERCATION WITH NFL QB: ‘TYPICAL CAM’

To break it down even further, the NFL, in exchange for allowing free agency and other benefits to players, forced them to recreate their union, so they can have a collective bargaining agreement. And in said CBA is the ability to have the franchise tag among other things, including the NFL Draft and the salary cap.

Domonique Foxworth on field

Of course, the idea of the franchise tag, which isn’t used in any other major sports league in the country, has been a topic players have become disgruntled with, especially in recent seasons. 

Star players can’t hit the open market when their contracts are up like in other leagues, with teams able to lock them in for at least another season. 

Some teams do that to allow more time to negotiate contracts. However, looking at examples like the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley in 2023, that doesn’t always come to fruition. Barkley eventually agreed to his franchise tag, but other players might want to hold out even going into the regular season, though that would lead to hefty fines. 

Domonique Foxworth looks on stage

The next time CBA negotiations can occur is six years from now, as the current CBA expires in March 2030 at the end of the league year.  

Read the full article Here

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

DON’T MISS OUT!
Subscribe To Newsletter
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
Stay Updated
Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime.
close-link