NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 18
Certifications


  • Section 1. Contract Certification
    (a)

    Every Player Contract, or any renegotiation, extension or amendment of a Player Contract, entered into during the term of this Agreement shall contain a certification, executed separately by: (i) the person who executed the Player Contract on behalf of the Club, (ii) the player, and (iii) any player representative who negotiated the contract on behalf of the player confirming that the Player Contract, renegotiation, extension or amendment sets forth all components of the player’s remuneration for his playing of professional football from the Club or Club Affiliate and that there are no undisclosed agreements of any kind, express or implied, oral or written, or promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent, or understandings of any kind: (a) involving consideration of any kind to be paid, furnished or made available or guaranteed to the player, or Player Affiliate, by the Club or Club Affiliate either prior to, during, or after the term of the Player Contract; or (b) concerning terms of any renegotiation and/or extension of any Player Contract by a player subject to a Franchise Player or Transition Player designation.

    (b)

    In the same certification, the Club, player, and player representative will either confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, no conduct violative of Article 17 took place with respect to the contract, renegotiation, extension or amendment in question, or describe such conduct of which they are aware.

    (c)

    No contract will be approved by the Commissioner unless accompanied by the certifications required by Subsections (a) and (b) above.

    (d)

    Any failure to execute and submit a certification as required under Subsection 1(a) above shall be deemed evidence of a violation of Article 14, Section 1 of this Agreement. Any failure to execute and submit a certification as required under Subsection 1(b) above shall be deemed evidence of a violation of Article 17 of this Agreement.

  • Section 2. End of League Year Certification
    (a)

    Within fourteen (14) days of the conclusion of each League Year, the executive primarily responsible for football operations on behalf of each Club shall submit to the Management Council a certification confirming that the Club has not, to the extent of his knowledge after reasonable inquiry of all owners and all employees with authority to negotiate Player Contracts, entered into any undisclosed agreements of any kind, express or implied, oral or written, or promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent, or understandings of any kind, as described in Article 14, Section 1. Upon receipt of such certification, the Management Council shall forward a copy of the certification to the NFLPA.

    (b)

    Within fourteen (14) days of the conclusion of each League Year, each player agent representing a player who was under contract to an NFL Club during that League Year shall submit to the NFLPA a certification confirming, after reasonable inquiry of all personnel in his or her agency with authority to negotiate Player Contracts, that neither he nor she nor they has entered into any undisclosed agreements of any kind, express or implied, oral or written, or promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent, or understandings of any kind, as described in Article 14, Section 1. Upon receipt of such certification, the NFLPA shall forward a copy of the certification to the Management Council.

    (c)

    Any failure to execute and submit a certification as required under Section 2(a) or 2(b) above, shall be deemed evidence of a violation of Article 14, Section 1 of this Agreement.

    (d)

    At the conclusion of each League Year, the executive primarily responsible for football operations on behalf of each Club shall submit to the Management Council a certification confirming that the Club has not, to the extent of his knowledge after reasonable inquiry of all owners and all employees with authority to negotiate Player Contracts, violated the terms of Article 17, Section 1, nor received from the NFL or the Management Council any communication disclosing that an NFL Club had negotiated with or is negotiating with any Restricted Free Agent, unless and until an Offer Sheet has been given to the Prior Club, or any Unrestricted Free Agent, prior to the execution of a Player Contract with that Unrestricted Free Agent, where such communication or disclosure is inconsistent with Article 17, Section 1. Upon receipt of each such certification, the NFL shall forward a copy of the certification to the NFLPA.

    (e)

    Any failure to execute a certification as required under Section 2(d) above shall be deemed evidence of a violation of Article 17, Section 1 of this Agreement.

  • Section 3. False Certification

    Any person or Club who knowingly executes or files a false certification required by Sections 1(a), 1(b), 2(a), or 2(b) of this Article shall be subject to a fine of up to $375,000, upon a finding of such violation by the System Arbitrator. Authority to impose such a fine shall rest with the System Arbitrator or the Commissioner, consistent with the allocation of authority in Article 14, Section 6(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no circumstances shall a fine under this Section be imposed upon any person or Club if such person or Club is also being sanctioned for the same conduct under Article 14, Section 6 above. The fine amount set forth in this Section shall be adjusted each year by the percentage change in Projected AR for that League Year as compared to Projected AR for the prior League Year.