The NFLPA decertified ahead of today's CBA deadline, making an NFL lockout all but certain when the CBA expires at 10:59 CST tonight. The players association has long threatened the decertification, which allows them to attempt to block a lockout as a professional trade association, instead of a players' union. Decertification last occurred in the aftermath of the 1987 NFL strike; the move allowed them to file an antitrust suit that led to the reformation of the NFL's free agency rules.
In a statement on NFLLockout.com the NFLPA officially announced its resignation of collective bargaining rights after a week of extended negotiations between the players and the owners proved fruitless. The owners seek to reduce the NFLPA's share of revenues while pushing the regular season to 18 games, something the NFLPA has declared nonnegotiable. The two sides appeared to come to an agreement on one of the other sticking points earlier this week when it was suggested that the rookie salary scale would be reformed.