NFLPA EXAMS SCRIPT 2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Explain veteran salary benefit contract: - ✔✔Player with 4 or more credited seasons
signs a 1 year deal. Player can receive whatever base salary is negotiated but only the
league minimum base salary will go against the cap. Player can receive an max of
152,500 in bonuses (roster, signing, reporting, workout, other incentive)
✔✔When is a non-injury grievance applicable? - ✔✔- Can be variety of things not
covered by injury grievances such as fines, suspensions, injury protection claims,
challenging NFI
-System Arbitrator has jurisdiction over free agency and salary cap disputes. Not a non-
injury grievance.
✔✔After an injury settlement, when can a player resign with his own team? - ✔✔Once
settlement is released, player must wait 3 games (bye week counts) to resign.
✔✔How many credited seasons for severance pay? - ✔✔2 credited seasons for benefit
purposes (IR, PUP, 53)
✔✔How is severance pay issued? - ✔✔A lump sum by the last team to issue player a
credited season
✔✔How many credited seasons to qualify for pension? - ✔✔3+ for benefit purposes
Pension = Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Retirement Plan
✔✔When can veterans renegotiate? - ✔✔1st time - immediately
✔✔When can a player start collecting pension? - ✔✔55, received the first day of the
month following the 55th birthday
65, deferred for a higher benefit
✔✔Explain termination pay: - ✔✔- 4 credited seasons to qualify
- If on a team's roster for the first regular season game and then released, a player is
guaranteed the unpaid balance of his P5 salary.
- If signing during the season, a player is entitled to greater of the unpaid balance of
35% of the P5 salary or 2 weeks salary up to the minimum salary of a 7+ credited
season player.
- Can only be collected once unless the second collection is less than or equal to 6
weeks of a players P5 salary.
✔✔When is an injury grievance applicable? - ✔✔- A player is injured/reinjured during
the year in question and then released before he has recovered
, - Passed preseason physical
✔✔How long does a player have to file a non-injury grievance? - ✔✔Within 50 days
✔✔How much are NFLPA annual agent dues? - ✔✔Less than 10 active players = 1,500
10+ active players = 2,000
✔✔Explain injury protection: - ✔✔- Player gets injured in one season, rehabs in
offseason, remains unable to play and therefore gets contract terminated.
- Year 1 following: player is entitled to 100% base salary
- Year 2 following: player is entitled to 30% base salary
✔✔Practice squad eligibility: - ✔✔1) players with no accrued season
2) players with less than 9 games on an active 48 man during their only accrued season
3) max 4 players w/ 2 free agency years (accrued seasons) without 9 games 48 man
applying
2) max 2 players regardless of accrued seasons
✔✔How many players on a practice squad? - ✔✔16
✔✔CBA spending requirements: - ✔✔90% in cash per team
95% in cash league wide
✔✔When a player is released, what happens to their salary guarantees? - ✔✔Applied
to the current year's salary cap
✔✔When a player is traded/released, what happens to bonus proration? - ✔✔Before
June 2nd- applied to the current year's salary cap
After June 1- applied to the beginning of the next league year
✔✔What is a credited season? - ✔✔BENEFIT - 3 games on 53, IR, PUP
SALARY - 3 games on full pay status (53 usually)
✔✔What are the "per diem" payments during the preseason? - ✔✔1st year players (no
credited season for benefit purposes) ex: rookies - 1,850
Veterans - 3,200
✔✔What is the activation procedure for players on PUP or NFI? - ✔✔- 6 calendar days
before the team's 7th regular season game week players on PUP/NFI can begin
practice
- 21 days to activate players
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Explain veteran salary benefit contract: - ✔✔Player with 4 or more credited seasons
signs a 1 year deal. Player can receive whatever base salary is negotiated but only the
league minimum base salary will go against the cap. Player can receive an max of
152,500 in bonuses (roster, signing, reporting, workout, other incentive)
✔✔When is a non-injury grievance applicable? - ✔✔- Can be variety of things not
covered by injury grievances such as fines, suspensions, injury protection claims,
challenging NFI
-System Arbitrator has jurisdiction over free agency and salary cap disputes. Not a non-
injury grievance.
✔✔After an injury settlement, when can a player resign with his own team? - ✔✔Once
settlement is released, player must wait 3 games (bye week counts) to resign.
✔✔How many credited seasons for severance pay? - ✔✔2 credited seasons for benefit
purposes (IR, PUP, 53)
✔✔How is severance pay issued? - ✔✔A lump sum by the last team to issue player a
credited season
✔✔How many credited seasons to qualify for pension? - ✔✔3+ for benefit purposes
Pension = Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Retirement Plan
✔✔When can veterans renegotiate? - ✔✔1st time - immediately
✔✔When can a player start collecting pension? - ✔✔55, received the first day of the
month following the 55th birthday
65, deferred for a higher benefit
✔✔Explain termination pay: - ✔✔- 4 credited seasons to qualify
- If on a team's roster for the first regular season game and then released, a player is
guaranteed the unpaid balance of his P5 salary.
- If signing during the season, a player is entitled to greater of the unpaid balance of
35% of the P5 salary or 2 weeks salary up to the minimum salary of a 7+ credited
season player.
- Can only be collected once unless the second collection is less than or equal to 6
weeks of a players P5 salary.
✔✔When is an injury grievance applicable? - ✔✔- A player is injured/reinjured during
the year in question and then released before he has recovered
, - Passed preseason physical
✔✔How long does a player have to file a non-injury grievance? - ✔✔Within 50 days
✔✔How much are NFLPA annual agent dues? - ✔✔Less than 10 active players = 1,500
10+ active players = 2,000
✔✔Explain injury protection: - ✔✔- Player gets injured in one season, rehabs in
offseason, remains unable to play and therefore gets contract terminated.
- Year 1 following: player is entitled to 100% base salary
- Year 2 following: player is entitled to 30% base salary
✔✔Practice squad eligibility: - ✔✔1) players with no accrued season
2) players with less than 9 games on an active 48 man during their only accrued season
3) max 4 players w/ 2 free agency years (accrued seasons) without 9 games 48 man
applying
2) max 2 players regardless of accrued seasons
✔✔How many players on a practice squad? - ✔✔16
✔✔CBA spending requirements: - ✔✔90% in cash per team
95% in cash league wide
✔✔When a player is released, what happens to their salary guarantees? - ✔✔Applied
to the current year's salary cap
✔✔When a player is traded/released, what happens to bonus proration? - ✔✔Before
June 2nd- applied to the current year's salary cap
After June 1- applied to the beginning of the next league year
✔✔What is a credited season? - ✔✔BENEFIT - 3 games on 53, IR, PUP
SALARY - 3 games on full pay status (53 usually)
✔✔What are the "per diem" payments during the preseason? - ✔✔1st year players (no
credited season for benefit purposes) ex: rookies - 1,850
Veterans - 3,200
✔✔What is the activation procedure for players on PUP or NFI? - ✔✔- 6 calendar days
before the team's 7th regular season game week players on PUP/NFI can begin
practice
- 21 days to activate players
