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It was announced Sunday morning that the NFL has come to terms to the new CBA and it will be ratified for the 2020 season.

Sources to ESPN: NFL players voted to approve the proposed CBA, giving the NFL 10 more years of labor peace, players an increased share of revenue, former players added benefits, and the league 17-game regular seasons along with an expanded playoff field.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2020

This comes as a shock as players like Aaron Rodgers, J.C. Tretter, and the Pouncey twins have heavily advocated for a no vote on this new deal.

So, what exactly will happen with this new deal? There are now 3 preseason games instead of 4, seasons are now 17 games long, there are one more playoff team per conference, only one bye per conference — awarded to the #1 seed per conference — and players will no longer be suspended if they test positive for marijuana.

This new deal was only passed by 60 votes. The final tally was 1019 — 959. This deal will be in effect until the 2030 season.

With this vote being so close, I can only imagine that there are a few factors behind the rushing of this deal.

As of two weeks ago, it seemed like the NFL, NFLPA, and the players were not even close to terms.

With the world coming to an end — thank you corona –, the tampering period starting tomorrow, and the new league year starting Wednesday, I have to assume that is why the players pushed for yes.

T.V. deals are now going to sky-rocket, the salary cap will increase, minimum pay will also increase, and there will be better benefits for the players who are no longer playing.

Whether players or fans like this deal or not, we have to accept that this is how the league will look for the next 10 years. The race for the number one seed becomes even more important now, and there will be more football to watch.

Maybe it isn’t that bad after all.