One of the most interesting things to see during every free agency cycle is how the value of positional contracts changes over time, specifically the quarterback position.
However, there are rumors of a potential earnings cap in the NFLPA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, which former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel says could prompt quarterbacks to go on strike.
Why Chase Daniel Thinks NFL Quarterbacks Could Strike Over an Earnings Cap
Even though it’s a few years away, the current NFLPA CBA will expire in March 2031, at the end of the league year. Some rumored additions to the CBA include expanding the regular season from 17 to 18 games and increasing the number of international games. However, the most impactful could be a cap on a player’s earnings, similar to the NBA’s approach to max contracts.
Most players would probably overlook this, but it would be detrimental to superstars’ earning potential. Considering quarterbacks have the highest annual salary of any position, it harms them the most, and they’d face the most pushback.
Daniel suggests it could even reach the point where quarterbacks go on strike. In a social media post, he said the following:
“Owners leaking the idea of capping individual player earnings is a DIRECT shot at the position that drives the league…QB. Franchise QBs haven’t needed to be deeply involved w/ the NFLPA, but threaten their earning power & that changes overnight. The league & CBA is built on a negotiated revenue split….not a ceiling on individual value.
“Now, it’s no longer a free market. If all 32 starting QBs got together and decided they wanted to strike, the leverage flips immediately back to players. Instead of limiting salaries, you’re pushing the split even further in the players’ favor in the negotiations.”
Daniel is right. Not only does it impact quarterbacks, but it also affects some of the highest-earning positions, like edge rushers, offensive linemen, and wide receivers. If it were to happen where all of those players protested as well, the NFL would be cornered into leaving it out of the CBA.
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Regardless, quarterbacks alone would be enough to get owners to listen. If Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen sat out, it’s almost a guarantee that other starting quarterbacks would follow suit.
Ultimately, the discussion around the potential earnings cap remains speculative, yet it speaks to the leverage quarterbacks hold in the NFL. Their influence could dramatically affect the outcome of negotiations, especially if paired with other positional players. Any attempt to limit pay will face significant backlash, and this point of tension will be something to watch in the next CBA cycle.
