Last year’s hidden ruling in the collusion grievance regarding guaranteed contracts was the first step. After the ruling was exposed by Pablo Torre ([and I helped](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB7j3sUWohE&t=27s)), the NFL Players Association appealed.
That appeal remains pending, nine months later.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the league disclosed to teams at the 2026 annual meeting that it expects a favorable decision any day now.
The reason for the confidence isn’t clear. A ruling had been expected by December; delay often means it’s taking time to fashion a final ruling. If the initial ruling were easily affirmed by the three-person panel, less time would be needed, in theory.
Another source put it this way, regarding the NFL’s attitude toward its various legal entanglements: “They always think they will win everything.”
Although the NFL won Round 1, the ruling included a finding that, at the 2022 annual meeting, the league invited (if not encouraged) teams to collude in the aftermath of the five-year, fully-guaranteed contract the Browns gave to quarterback Deshaun Watson. The arbitrator got it wrong, I believe, by ignoring the circumstantial evidence of actual collusion and accepting the predictable “we did not collude” denials from the witnesses called by the NFL.
Will the appeals panel set aside the obvious, self-serving claims and focus on the circumstantial evidence of actual collusion?
However it plays out, a ruling is coming. At some point. If/when the full document comes to light (hopefully they won’t try to hide it again), it could contain significant findings as to whether the league told the teams to collude — and whether they did.