If a player has a multi year contract in the NFL and sustains an injury that will keep him from playing longer than 1 year must a team pay him until he has recovered even if they want to release him?

Answer 1

No, a team does not have to keep the injured player and may release him. In order to release a player, the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article XII (Injury Protection), stipulates that an Injury Settlement with the player must be reached prior to his release. Section 2 of Article XII says: "Section 2. Benefit: A player qualifying under Section 1 above will receive an amount equal to 50% of his contract salary for the season following the season of injury, up to a maximum payment of $275,000, if he is released pursuant to Section 1(c) above in the 2006-08 League Years unless he has individually negotiated more injury protection or a larger guaranteed salary into his contract. This amount shall be increased to $300,000 in the 2009 League Year and, if they are Uncapped Years, in the 2010-11 League Years; to $325,000 in the 2010-11 League Years, if they are Capped Years; and to $350,000 in the 2012 League Year. A player will receive no amount of any contract covering any season subsequent to the season following the season of injury, except if he has individually negotiated injury protection into that contract. The benefit will be paid to the player in equal weekly installments commencing no later than the date of the first regular season game, which benefit payments will cease if the player signs a contract for that season with another Club. A player will not be entitled to such benefit more than once during his playing career in the NFL, and such benefit shall be reduced by any salary guaranteed to the player for the season following the season of injury."