Seahawks' Russell Wilson Protests NFL's CBA Proposal: 'Players Come First'

Add Russell Wilson's name to the growing list of prominent players who are voicing their opposition to the NFL's proposed collective bargaining agreement.

The Seattle Seahawks quarterback took to Twitter on Wednesday to denounce a package league owners are offering the players union, which would include a 17-game schedule and expanded playoffs, joining the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Maurkice Pouncey among those against the deal. In response, NFLPA President Eric Winston asked players to wait to see the entire terms of the package before making a decision.

Rodgers, Pouncey and Wilson all urged their fellow players to vote no.

NFLPA team reps voted 17-14 on Tuesday to send the proposal for a full vote by all union members in order to ratify the deal. 

Almost as quickly as the initial vote passed, opposition to it went public. Rodgers, the team rep for Green Bay, announced that he voted "no" Tuesday, basing his decision off "conversations I've had with the men in my locker room" and with staunch resistance to a 17-game schedule. While Wilson is not an active presence in the NFLPA discussions, his voice carries a great deal of weight as a seven-time Pro Bowler who's served as one of the league's premier players since winning the Super Bowl in 2013. 

League owners might feel adding an extra game to the regular-season schedule would significantly help their standing when they look to negotiate the next broadcast rights package in 2022. As such, players would see a slight increase in revenue-sharing from the current 48 percent while the league would also eliminate one preseason game. 

The league would also reduce penalties for players who test positive for marijuana as well as place increased restrictions on offseason team activities. 

A 16-game schedule has long been a sticking point for players who feel they put their bodies through enough risk.

The current CBA is set to expire in March 2021. A simple majority is required to pass the new package when the full union is able to vote on the deal.