NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 22
Minicamps

  • Section 1. Number

    Each League Year each Club may hold a maximum of one mandatory minicamp for veteran players. If a Club hires a new head coach after the end of the prior regular season, that Club may hold one additional voluntary minicamp for veteran players. In the event a Club (i) terminates the employment of its current head coach during the regular season with two or fewer regular season games remaining; and (ii) designates another member of its own coaching staff, or hires a coach from outside the organization, to serve in the capacity of interim head coach for the remainder of the season; and (iii) subsequently hires such interim head coach as the Club’s head coach after the end of that regular season, such coach shall be deemed a “new head coach” for purposes of this Agreement. Any mandatory minicamp for veteran players shall count as one of the nine weeks of the Club’s official offseason workout program under Article 21, Section 2(a) of this Agreement. There is no limitation on the number of minicamps a Club may hold for Rookie players during the seven weeks of the Club’s Rookie Football Development Program.

  • Section 2. Mandatory Veteran Minicamp

    No mandatory veteran minicamp may exceed three days in length, plus one day for physical examinations. The minicamp must be conducted during the week (Monday through Friday), with physicals taking place on Monday but no practice or workouts on that day, practices on Tuesday through Thursday and a day off on Friday. If a Club does not conduct physical examinations during its mandatory veteran minicamp, practices may be conducted on Monday through Wednesday and days off on Thursday and Friday. The minicamp must be conducted during week three or week four of Phase Three of the Club’s offseason workout program. The Phase Three rules set forth in Article 21, Section 2(c)(iii) of this Agreement shall apply to all minicamp activities. Two-a-day practices shall be permitted on two of the three practice days of the Club’s one mandatory minicamp, subject to the following rules: (i) minicamp may be held for a maximum of twenty-four hours over three days; (ii) players may be on the field for a total of no more than three and one-half hours per day; (iii) players may participate in one practice for no more than two and one-half hours of on-field activities under Phase Three rules; (iv) the second practice may only be for the remaining portion of the players’ daily three and one-half hour on-field activities and shall be limited to drills and plays conducted with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players with each group permitted to align eleven or fewer players across from eleven or fewer players. Players on one side of the ball may execute a play, but players on the opposite side of the ball may not initiate contact with, or attempt to impede the progress of, players who are running the play (such drills and plays shall be conducted at an acceptable walkthrough pace (i.e., Pro Bowl practice pace), as demonstrated in a video jointly approved by the parties); (v) no organized team activities (including treatment and taping) may begin prior to 7:00am local time or end after 8:30pm local time, and players shall be given at least one hour for lunch and dinner each; (vi) players may only be asked to participate in Club activities for a maximum of ten hours per day including taping and treatment and one hour for meal time. The on-field time limits described above shall begin as soon as position coaches begin to coach a player or players on the field.

  • Section 3. Voluntary Veteran Minicamp

    Any voluntary minicamp for veteran players must be conducted prior to the College Draft, but no earlier than week three of the Club’s offseason workout program and after at least one week of the two weeks of Phase One activities that the Clubs may hold pursuant to Article 21. In the event the NFL elects to move the College Draft to a date that would require the Club to schedule its voluntary minicamp for veteran players during a week that is earlier than week three of the Club’s offseason workout program or that would otherwise preclude the Club from holding a voluntary veteran minicamp, the NFLPA and NFL shall agree to change such rule and/or the rule set forth in Article 21, Section 2(d) regarding the earliest permissible starting date for new head coaches, to ensure that any eligible Club will be permitted to hold an additional voluntary veteran minicamp for veteran players. Voluntary minicamps for veteran players shall be subject to the rules set forth in Section 2 above.

  • Section 4. Expenses
    (a)

    Any veteran player who attends a minicamp will receive meal allowances in accordance with Article 34, Section 1 of this Agreement, plus all travel expenses to and from the camp, plus the prorated portion of the weekly per diem specified for the current League Year (as set forth in Article 23, Section 4). In addition, the Club will provide housing at minicamps for players coming from out-of-town.

    (b)

    If a “first-year player” (as defined as in Article 23, Section 1) signed a Player Contract with any Club for the prior League Year, he shall receive, for each day that he attends minicamp, the following compensation, but no other compensation: (i) the prorated portion of the weekly per diem specified for the current League Year (as set forth in Article 23, Section 3); (ii) the meal allowance specified for the current League Year (as set forth in Article 34, Section 1); and (iii) all travel expenses to and from the camp, plus housing (for players coming from out-of-town).

    (c)

    Any “rookie player” (defined as a person who has never signed a Player Contact with an NFL Club in a prior League Year) shall receive the daily amount specified in Subsection 8(b) of this Article for each day that he attends a voluntary or mandatory veteran minicamp, in addition to payments and reimbursements provided by the Club pursuant to Article 7, Section 5(e).

  • Section 5. Contact

    There will be no contact work (e.g., “live” blocking, tackling, pass rushing, bump-and-run) or use of pads (helmets permitted) at minicamps.

  • Section 6. Injuries

    Any player injured in a Club’s minicamp shall be protected in the same manner as if injured during the Club’s preseason training camp.

  • Section 7. Post-Draft Rookie Minicamp
    (a)

    Each Club may hold one three-day post-Draft Rookie Minicamp, which at the Club’s election may be conducted on either the first or second weekend following the College Draft. Players may only participate in Club activities for a maximum of ten hours per day, including meal time that coincides with, or is held between, team activities. “First-year players” (as defined in Article 23, Section 1) who signed a Player Contract with any Club for a prior League Year may also be invited to participate in a Club’s postDraft Rookie Minicamp. Any participating first-year player shall receive the compensation and meal, travel, and housing allowances provided for in Section 4(b) above for each day of the post-Draft Rookie Minicamp the player attends.

    (b)

    During a Club’s post-Draft Rookie Minicamp, veteran players (as defined in Article 23, Section 1) who are not under contract to any Club may participate on a tryout basis, subject to the following rules:

    (b)(i)

    Each Club may allow no more than five (5) veteran players to participate in its post-Draft Rookie Minicamp in each season.

    (b)(ii)

    Veteran players who participate in a Club’s post-Draft Club’s Rookie Minicamp shall receive the following compensation, but no other compensation: (1) all travel expenses to and from the post-Draft Rookie Minicamp; (2) housing for veteran players coming from out of town, (3) the pro-rated portion of the weekly per diem specified for the current League Year as set forth in Article 23, Section 4 of the CBA for each day that the veteran player attends the post-Draft Rookie Minicamp; and (4) the meal allowance specified for the current League Year as set forth in Article 22, Section 4 and Article 34, Section 1 of the CBA.

    (b)(iii)

    If a veteran player sustains an injury while participating in a Club’s postDraft Rookie Minicamp, he is entitled to reimbursement of reasonable and necessary medical expense incurred as a result of that injury. The determination as to whether or not such expenses are “reasonable and necessary” shall be based on the reasonable opinion of the Club’s Head Team Physician. For the avoidance of doubt, no NFL Player Contract between such injured veteran player and the Club exists as a result of his participation in a post-Draft Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis, and therefore, such injured veteran player will not be entitled to any compensation pursuant to an NFL Player Contract, including, but not limited to, any benefit pursuant to Paragraph 5 or Paragraph 9 of the NFL Player Contract or to any benefit pursuant to Articles 44 or 45 of this Agreement.

    (b)(iv)

    Prior to a Club’s post-Draft Rookie Minicamp, the Club shall provide the NFLMC with a list of the veteran players who will participate in the postDraft Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis.

    (b)(v)

    The NFLMC shall provide such list to the NFLPA immediately following the conclusion of all Clubs’ post-Draft Rookie Minicamps.

    (b)(vi)

    The NFLMC will review each Club’s list of veteran players who will participate in the Club’s post-Draft Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis.

    (b)(vii)

    If the NFLMC determines that a veteran player: (1) was on a Club’s roster as of the last game of the Club’s season in the season immediately preceding the relevant post-Draft Rookie Minicamp or at any time during the same League Year as, but prior to, the relevant post-Draft Rookie Minicamp; (2) was released by the Club prior to the relevant post-Draft Rookie Minicamp; (3) participated in the Club’s relevant post-Draft Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis; and (4) was re-signed by the Club within 60 days following the relevant post-Draft Rookie Minicamp, the NFLMC will treat the Club’s conduct as a prima facie violation of Article 14, Section 1 of this agreement and Paragraph 18 and 21 of the NFL Player Contract

  • Section 8. Rookie Football Development Programs
    (a)

    Each Club may hold a Rookie Football Development Program five days per week for a period of seven weeks, commencing on or about May 16. During this period, no mandatory or voluntary activities can be held on weekends, with the exception of the Club’s one post-Draft Rookie Minicamp, as described in Section 7 above. During a Club’s Rookie Football Development Program, players may only participate in Club activities for a maximum of eight hours per day. Players may participate in on-field activities for no more than three and one-half hours per day. The on-field time limits described above shall begin as soon as position coaches begin to coach a player or players on the field.

    (b)

    In addition to reimbursements and payments provided by the Club pursuant to Article 7, Section 5(e), each rookie player shall receive the following amounts per day for any workouts or classroom instruction in which he participates pursuant to a Club’s Rookie Football Development Program provided the player fulfills the Club’s reasonable workout requirements: $135 (2020-21 League Years), $148 (2022-23 League Years), $161 (2024-25 League Years), $179 (2026-27 League Years), $197 (2028-29 League Years), $215 (2030 League Year). Rookie players are required to complete four out of five scheduled workouts, including any scheduled OTAs, per week in order to be paid for any workout the player completes in that week, except if there are fewer than five scheduled workouts in a week the player will be paid for each workout in which he participates.

    (c)

    In addition to “rookie players” (defined as a person who has never signed a Player Contract with an NFL Club in a prior League Year), the following players may be invited to participate in a Club’s Rookie Football Development Program: (i) non-quarterbacks with zero “Credit Seasons” (as defined in Article 26, Section 2) who signed a Player Contract with any Club for a prior League Year; (ii) quarterbacks with zero “Credited Seasons” (as defined in Article 26, Section 2) who signed a Player Contract with any Club for a prior League Year; and (iii) quarterbacks with one (1) “Credited Season” (as defined in Article 26, Section 2) who participated in less than 25% of their Clubs’ offensive plays during the previous season. Players who participate in the Rookie Football Development Program pursuant to this subsection may only participate in (i) four weeks of the program; (ii) a maximum of four days per week; and (iii) a maximum of three and one half hours on the field with no more than two hours in any single practice on a day in which two practices are held for rookie players. No player shall be permitted to participate in a Rookie Football Development Program more than twice during his NFL career, including his participation in such program as a rookie player. For the sake of clarity and the avoidance of doubt, no player shall be permitted to participate in a Rookie Football Development Program more than once after his rookie year.

    (d)

    First-year players and veteran players who participate in a Club’s Rookie Football Development Program shall receive the minimum daily amount set forth in Section 3 of Article 21 subject to the terms and conditions of that Section.

  • Section 9. Films

    In addition to the provisions set forth in Article 21, Section 8(h), Clubs shall film all on-field activities from any minicamp, and shall maintain a copy of such films until thirty days after the start of the regular season. The NFLPA may view such films (after signing a confidentiality agreement satisfactory to the NFL at the start of each League Year) only upon the filing of a complaint alleging a violation of this Article.

  • Section 10. Enforcement

    Any alleged violation of Sections 1, 2, 3, 5 or 8 of this Article shall be governed by the same procedures, and shall be subject to the same fines and fine procedures, as set forth in Article 21, Section 8, except that the “Other Penalties” set forth in Article 21, Section 8(d)(ii) shall not apply to any violation of this Article.

  • Section 11. Participation Agreement

    The requirements of Article 21, Section 3 or Article 21, Section 9 (as applicable), apply to players participating in a Club’s minicamp.