Are You Ready For Some Football? The NFLPA and NFL Owners Come to an Agreement. The Lockout is Over.

Football is back.  In what NFLPA Director DeMaurice Smith termed "a fair deal" which involves a 10 year agreement,  the NFL lockout has ended.   Smith noted "there are still things to work out down the road" but for the long term, NFL Football is here to stay.

NFL Commistioner Roger Goodell said "the agreement only came out of mutual respect."  He also noted that "we know we have frustrated fans" with the lockout and months of negotiations, but "our commitment is to bring them better football."

Much of the credit to getting this deal done was given to the presence of Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, who was there for the final negotiations even though his wife, Myra, passed away from cancer five days ago.

NFLPA President Kevin Mawae said the players "wanted to secure the long term interest of the game."  That could not be done unless the was "talk about what will make Football better and safer."

DeMaurice Smith noted "we didn't get everything we wanted" and neither did the owners, but the agreement is "fair and balanced."

There are still issues to be worked out separately that will not affect the NFL season going forward or this agreement.  Certain points involving player's health, safety, pensions and the way grievances are handled will be ironed out at a later date.  But for now the NFL and the Players just want to get back to work.