NFL Super Bowl Champions Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews signs autographs as the Packers take to the field for training camp practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Monday. — Reuters WASHINGTON – NFL players completed their ratification of a 10-year collective bargaining agreement Thursday, confirming the end of the labor dispute. Most of the terms of the agreement to end the NFL's 4 1/2-month lockout were agreed to in July, and league and player representatives met this week to hammer out the last details. Final language for the contract was in place Thursday afternoon and by 5 P. M. Eastern time players had voted to approve. That officially launched the “league year” and allowed players who have inked contracts since July 26 to finally join teammates in practice at training camps. Among the issues that required futher discussion were procedures for player discipline under the league's conduct policy and drug testing. Owners and players agreed on most terms on July 25, when NFL player representatives voted unanimously in favor of the new deal. A majority of all NFL players then had to vote within 10 days to re-establish the NFL Players Association as a trade union and then to accept the deal. The league's first shutdown since 1987 began when millionaire players and billionaire team owners could not agree on how to divide $9.3 billion in annual revenues. Owners opted in 2008 to end the deal this year. The new contract will not have an early opt-out clause but would allow expansion from 16 to 18 games a season per club as soon as 2013, provided the players agree to such a move. NFL first in US to test for HGH The National Football League (NFL) will become the first major US professional sports league to use blood testing for human growth hormone (HGH) as part of a new collective bargaining agreement ratified by players, a league spokesman said. “The goal is to begin testing for HGH the first week of the regular season,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. “Over the next several weeks, we will discuss and develop with the union the specific arrangements for the testing procedures.” Edwards and 49ers sign deal Pro Bowl wide receiver Braylon Edwards and the San Francisco 49ers agreed to a one-year deal, the National Football League team said. Terms were not announced but according to local media reports the deal was for $3.5 million. Edwards had 53 catches for 904 yards and seven touchdowns last season for the New York Jets. Taken with the third overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2005 NFL draft, Edwards has amassed 326 career receptions for 5,142 yards and 39 touchdowns. In 2007, he broke the Browns' single-season records for receiving yards (1,289) and touchdown receptions (16) earning a Pro Bowl selection.
