NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 10
Franchise and Transition Players

Section 9
Franchise Player Designation Period

A Club may designate a Franchise Player only during the periods and in the numbers specified in Section 1 above; otherwise, the Club’s right to such designation expires. However, a Club may designate a player to whom the Club has rights as a Franchise Player with respect to any first future League Year during the term of this Agreement for which such player is anticipated to be an Unrestricted Free Agent. For any such players, the Club shall be deemed on the first day of the first future League Year in which the designation takes effect to have automatically tendered the player a one year NFL Player Contract for (A) the applicable Cap Percentage Average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) above at which he participated in the most plays during the prior League Year), calculated using the methodology set forth in Section 2(a)(i)(A) above or (B) 120% of the player’s Prior-Year Salary, whichever is greater, except as provided in Section 2(b) above. If a Club designates a player pursuant to this Section 9, the Club shall be deemed to have used the Franchise Player designation in Section 1 above for the year in which the designation takes effect; provided, however, that if a player designated to become the Franchise Player in the future retires, suffers a career-ending injury (or an injury that prevents the player from participating in 32 consecutive regular season games in any League Year in which 16 regular season games are played, or 34 consecutive regular season games in any League Year in which 17 regular season games are played), is unavailable for the season due to non-injury circumstances beyond the control of the Club, or is assigned to another Club (other than through the waiver system) before such designation is exercised, the Club shall be entitled to designate a new Franchise Player for that League Year. Any dispute as to whether an injury is career-ending or prevents or will prevent a player from playing in 32 consecutive games in any League Year in which 16 regular season games are played, or 34 consecutive regular season games in any League Year in which 17 regular season games are played shall be decided by the Impartial Arbitrator.