NFL Lockout Ends — Players, Owners Ready for Some Football

Football is Back!

After four and a half months of negotiations, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith, and a number of owners and players announced that football is back, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The 2011-12 season will be kicking off on September 8 when the New Orleans Saints are hosted by Super Bowl champs the Green Bay Packers.

A proposed 10-year deal ended the lockout that began in March, and both sides came out of the negotiations with the results that millions of anxious fans were looking for: the NFL is back.

The deal, struck Monday, is a win-win situation for team owners and players.

For the owners, there will be an increase in the percentage of revenue earned (from 50 to 53 percent), and a new salary system will be implemented to limit spending on first-round draft picks — which will prevent the owners from being tied up to big rookie contracts.

On the other hand, players convinced teams to commit all of their salary cap space in cash. Changes were also made to the off-season and in-season practices to make the games safer. Players also will have the right to five consecutive days off during their bye week.

The last game of the regular season will be held on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, followed by the playoffs on Jan. 7.

Super Bowl XLVI will be played at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 5.