Free NFLPA Exam Question of the Day #9: How Long Does an Unsigned Unrestricted Free Agent Have Before He Must Re-Sign with His Prior Club?

Welcome to today's Free Question of the Day in Athlete Rep Lab's daily NFLPA practice series.

Every day until the NFLPA Contract Advisor Certification Exam, we'll publish a brand-new, original exam-style question covering an important concept from the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the NFLPA Regulations Governing Contract Advisors.

Today's Topic: The UFA Tender and the July 22 Signing Deadline

Today's Question

A veteran player with five Accrued Seasons becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent after his contract expires.

His prior club timely extends a valid UFA Tender under Article 9.

The player remains unsigned through July 22.

Under the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, what happens next?

A) The player remains free to negotiate and sign with any NFL club for the remainder of the season.

B) The player may negotiate and sign only with his prior club until 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season. If he does not sign by that deadline, he is prohibited from playing in the NFL for the remainder of the League Year absent an extreme hardship determination.

C) The player may negotiate and sign only with his prior club until 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Tuesday of the first week of the regular season. If he does not sign by that deadline, he is prohibited from playing in the NFL for the remainder of the League Year absent an extreme hardship determination.

D) The player's prior club automatically retains his rights for the current season with the valid UFA Tender.

Take a moment to answer before scrolling.

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Answer & Explanation

The correct answer is:

B) The player may negotiate and sign only with his prior club until 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season. If he does not sign by that deadline, he is prohibited from playing in the NFL for the remainder of the League Year absent an extreme hardship determination.

The Rule Under Article 9

Article 9 provides that an unrestricted free agent is ordinarily free to negotiate with any club. However, if the player's prior club timely extends a valid UFA Tender, and the player remains unsigned after July 22:

• The player may negotiate or sign only with his prior club until 4:00 p.m. New York time on the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season.

• If the player has not signed a Player Contract by that deadline, he is prohibited from playing in the NFL for the remainder of that League Year, unless an impartial arbitrator finds extreme club or extreme personal hardship.

Exam Tip

The exam tests two dates together:

• July 22 If a valid UFA Tender was extended, the player's negotiating rights become exclusive to his prior club.

Tuesday following Week 10 (4:00 p.m. New York time) If the player still has not signed with his prior club, he is generally ineligible to play for the remainder of that League Year, absent an extreme hardship determination.