NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 4
NFL Player Contract

Section 9(h)
Forfeiture of Salary

Players and Clubs may not agree upon contract provisions that authorize the Club to obtain a forfeiture of any Salary from a player except to the extent and in the circumstances provided in this Section 9. For the avoidance of doubt, Paragraph 5 Salary already earned may never be forfeited, and other Salary already earned may never be forfeited except as expressly provided herein. The maximum permitted forfeitures described below do not in any way obligate any player or Club to agree to any forfeiture.

(h)

Deduction/Payment. Recovery of any forfeiture under this Section may be made from any payments owed to a player under any NFL Player Contract with the Club claiming the forfeiture, from any salary, bonus installments, Performance-Based Pay, Postseason Pay, Severance Pay or Termination Pay otherwise owed by the claiming Club. If the player challenges such recovery by filing a proceeding before the System Arbitrator, the Club shall be required to put the disputed sums in escrow pending receipt of a final award. The assignment and/or termination of a player’s contract after events triggering the forfeiture shall not result in any waiver of the assigning or terminating Club’s right to seek to recover the full amount of any forfeiture.