2019 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER PATHWAY PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO SHOWCASE SKILLS AT PRO DAY IN TAMPA
Seven athletes from five countries will showcase their talents in front of scouts from all 32 clubs at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility during the NFL International Player Pathway Pro Day on April 1, the NFL announced today.
The players have been training alongside NFL veterans and draft hopefuls in Florida at the IMG Academy.
Instituted in 2017, the program aims to provide elite international athletes the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.
David Bada (Germany), Moubarak Djeri (Germany), Valentine Holmes (Australia), Jakob Johnson (Germany), Dural Neto (Brazil), Maximo Sanchez (Mexico) and Christian Wade (United Kingdom) will all workout at the event in hopes of being signed as a free agent or being selected for a 2019 practice squad position as part of the program.
Holmes and Wade were both top rugby players in their respective countries and retired from the sport to join the International Player Pathway Program
The on-field workouts will be followed by an opportunity for clubs to conduct informal interviews with all participating players.
For the 2019 NFL season, the AFC East has been chosen at random as the division that receive international players as a part of the International Player Development Program should they not be signed to free agent contracts. The AFC East follows the NFC South (2017) and AFC North (2018) as divisions participating in this program. At the conclusion of training camp, players will be eligible for an international player practice squad exemption on an AFC East team with teams being given an exemption for an eleventh practice squad member – ineligible to be activated during the season.
A closer look at the 2019 NFL International Player Pathway Program Participants:
DAVID BADA, Defensive End, (Germany), Age: 23
Played in German Football League's top division for the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns. Had previously played for the Ingolstadt Dukes where he developed as a pass rusher.
MOUBARAK DJERI, Defensive Tackle, (Germany), Age: 22
Born in Togo and moved to Germany in 2007. Played for the Cologne Crocodiles of the German Football League. Spent five seasons with the club before trying out for the Arizona Cardinals where he was signed in 2017 and participated in OTA's before being released prior to training camp.
VALENTINE HOLMES, Running Back/Wide Receiver/Kick Returner, (Australia), Age: 23
A former professional rugby league player from Australia's National Rugby League. Signed his first contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at 17 and made his professional debut with the club at the age of 19. Played the winger and fullback positions. Represented Australia in the 2017 Rugby World Cup and scored five tries (touchdowns) in the quarterfinals. The following game, he set a record with six tries in the semifinals.
JAKOB JOHNSON, Fullback, (Germany), Age: 24
Played for the Stuttgart Scorpions of the German Football League before moving to Jacksonville. Played one season of high school football in the United States and was recruited to continue his career at the University of Tennessee. Although recruited as a linebacker, transitioned to a tight end during his sophomore season. Attended Tennessee for four years.
DURVAL NETO, Defensive Tackle, (Brazil), Age: 25
Played domestically in Brazil for the past four seasons on the two best teams in Brazil. A judo champion prior to playing football, he is known for his tremendous athletic ability and a willingness to learn.
MAXIMO SANCHEZ, Linebacker, (Mexico), Age: 25
Has played in multiple domestic leagues in Mexico and was selected to represent the country for Team World against the USA U19 team. Played for Tech Monterrey, one of the best university programs in Mexico. Transitioned to outside linebacker following his time as a 4-3 defensive end.
CHRISTIAN WADE, Running Back/Kick Returner, (England), Age: 27
Represented the English National Rugby Team at the U16, U18, U20 and senior levels. Was selected to the British and Irish Lions squad, the highest honor for a rugby player. His 82 Premiership Rugby tries (touchdowns) ranks third on the league's all-time list. A projected running back, he has outstanding athletic ability and a versatile skill set.
Previous participants in the International Player Pathway Program include:
MORITZ BÖHRINGER, Tight End/Wide Receiver (Germany), Age: 25 – Cincinnati Bengals
In 2016, Böhringer was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, becoming the first player to be drafted directly from European football. He spent the 2016 season on the Vikings practice squad. Böhringer is currently on the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad as part of the 2018 International Player Pathway Program.
JORDAN MAILATA, Tackle (Australia), Age: 21 – Philadelphia Eagles
The 2018 NFL Draft culminated an exciting time for Mailata, a past program participant. The Samoan-born Australian former professional rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs was drafted in the seventh round by the Philadelphia Eagles (thereby making him ineligible for the International Player Pathway Program). Converted to football full-time early in 2018, the 6-8, 350-pounder impressed NFL scouts at various workouts with his strength, footwork and athleticism, and continued his football journey with the Eagles during the 2018 season as the youngest player on their roster.
EFE OBADA, Defensive End (UK), Age: 26 – Carolina Panthers
Obada was raised in London after arriving from the Netherlands at age 10. He signed as a free agent for the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 after playing only five games of amateur football with the London Warriors. He played in the preseason for the Cowboys and spent part of the 2015 season on the club's practice squad. He has since had spells on the rosters of the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons before joining the Carolina Panthers practice squad as part of the 2017 International Player Pathway Program. In 2018, Obada become the first player from the NFL International Pathway program to make a 53-man roster. In Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Obada played his first regular season game, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his one-sack, one-interception performance.
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| Stanford Head Coach David Shaw Returns to NFL Network's Coverage of the NFL Draft |
Shaw Joins NFL Network's On-Location Coverage of the NFL Draft for the Eighth Consecutive Year
2019 NFL Draft Live From Nashville Thursday, April 25 – Saturday, April 27
Stanford head coach David Shaw will join NFL Network's coverage of the NFL Draft for the eighth consecutive year, it was announced today.
Shaw will be featured on NFL Network's coverage of the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft from Nashville on Thursday, April 25, joining host Rich Eisen, and analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Kurt Warner on the main desk. Additional first round coverage will be provided by Charles Davis, Steve Smith Sr., Chris Rose, Ian Rapoport and Deion Sanders.
Full details on NFL Network's coverage of the 2019 NFL Draft will be made available at a later date. To view Stanford's release on Shaw returning to NFL Network's Draft coverage, visit: http://tinyurl.com/yy4yoosv.
The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off with the first round Thursday, April 25 at 8:00 PM ET, followed by Rounds 2-3 Friday, April 26 at 7:00 PM ET and Rounds 4-7 Saturday, April 27 at 12 Noon ET from Nashville, with coverage on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC.
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| DIERKS BENTLEY AND 14 NASHVILLE-BASED ACTS ANNOUNCED AS ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS AT THE DRAFT PRESENTED BY OIKO TRIPLE ZERO |
Dierks Bentley and 14 Nashville-based acts announced as additional performers at the NFL Draft Experience Presented by Oikos® Triple Zero
Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Bentley to headline free outdoor concert series for the NFL Draft and the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and ½ Marathon on April 27th
Nashville-based acts of diverse music genres will perform on the Draft Experience Stage
NASHVILLE – The NFL and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp today announced additional music performances at the 2019 NFL Draft, the first ever Draft to incorporate a free music series featuring Nashville-based artists of all genres.
Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley will headline a free outdoor concert on Saturday, April 27 at the Draft Main Stage in downtown Nashville as part of the NFL Draft and St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and ½ Marathon. The Grammy-nominated country artist has 18 career number ones, billions of digital streams, and countless award nominations, including from the Academy of Country Music and Billboard.
"We are confident that this year's NFL Draft will be an unforgettable experience for our fans and the entire Nashville community, showcasing an exciting fusion of football and music" said NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business & League Events, Peter O'Reilly. "We are grateful for Dierks and all the Nashville-based acts for generously giving their time to our fans to celebrate in the biggest show in Music City."
More than 20 Nashville-based acts representing diverse genres of music will perform during the three days of activities on the Draft Main Stage and at the NFL Draft Experience presented by Oikos® Triple Zero, a free admission football festival held outside Nissan Stadium. They include country/rock "Nashville" TV show star Charles Esten, alternative country/Americana artist Rayland Baxter, pop and indie rock artist Mikky Ekko, and country singer-songwriter Charlie Worsham. No other NFL Draft has integrated free live music to the degree that will be included in the Nashville Draft.
"Nashville's NFL Draft is shaping up to be the best ever," Nashville Mayor David Briley said. "Dierks and the other acts announced today will only add to the amazing atmosphere we are creating for the event. Nashville's music scene is truly special, one of the major reasons I believe the NFL wanted to come to our city."
Previously announced, GRAMMY-winner Tim McGraw will headline for the NFL Draft on Friday, April 26 and GRAMMY-winning gospel music great CeCe Winans will sing the National Anthem to help open NFL Draft activities on Thursday, April 25.
In addition to the music integration at the NFL Draft, the city of Nashville will celebrate the participants in the 20th St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, which is taking place April 27-28. On Saturday, April 27, the marathon, half marathon and 5K conclude with a finish line outside of Nissan Stadium, near the NFL Draft Experience. Runners will be able to join in the Draft Experience festivities and various concerts, and celebrate completing the race with the Dierks Bentley concert.
"This year's St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon & 1/2 Marathon and NFL Draft festivities are going to be memorable as we celebrate 20 years and the NFL celebrates 100 years." said Keats McGonigal, Senior Regional Director for Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. "We are excited to work closely with the NFL and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. to engage our runners in the numerous events and concerts during the 2019 NFL Draft. This is especially true on Saturday night with Dierks Bentley, which gives our runners an exciting headliner to celebrate the conclusion of our race in Music City."
Downtown Nashville's Lower Broadway and the area outside Nissan Stadium will host free, public activities for the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville April 25-27. The Draft will continue the NFL's centennial season celebration that kicked off at Super Bowl LIII in February. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, in partnership with the Tennessee Titans, led the bid process for the NFL Draft on behalf of the city.
The current list of 2019 NFL Draft performances are included below. Additional performances will be announced in the coming weeks.
Draft Main Stage on Lower Broadway
Friday, April 26: Tim McGraw
Saturday, April 27: Dierks Bentley
NFL Draft Experience Stage
Thursday, April 25:
New North (Americana)
Striking Matches (alternative rock, pop rock and blues rock)
Mikky Ekko (alternative)
Friday, April 26:
Willie Jones (country)
Kid Politics (indie pop)
Jessy Wilson (neo soul/rock)
Charlie Worsham (country singer-songwriter)
Jonny P (soul)
Rayland Baxter (alternative)
Saturday, April 27:
Katie Schecter (Rock n Roll and soul)
Jason Eskridge (soul)
Three Star Revival (soul/jam/funk/Americana/rock)
Andrew Combs (indie folk)
Charles Esten (country/rock "Nashville" TV show star)
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| NFL Draft Experience Presented by Oikos® Triple Zero, Brings Free Football Festival to Nashville |
2019 NFL Draft will be first to integrate live music into the Draft Experience –
Three-time GRAMMY winner Tim McGraw to Perform
Twelve-time GRAMMY winner CeCe Winans to Sing National Anthem at opening ceremony
NASHVILLE – The NFL and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp today announced plans for the 2019 NFL Draft Experience, presented by Oikos® Triple Zero, a free three-day football festival held outside of Nissan Stadium during the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25-April 27. The Experience will be the largest NFL Draft festival footprint to date, and in recognition of Music City, will be the first to integrate a free live music concert series featuring 20 Nashville-based artists of all genres.
GRAMMY-winner Tim McGraw will headline the concert series at the Draft Main Stage in downtown Nashville. McGraw, who serves on the Nashville Local Organizing Committee for the Nashville Draft, has had 43 number-one radio singles, 16 number-one albums and countless industry awards and accolades. McGraw recently performed for the NFL's official Tailgate party at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.
"We're excited to show NFL fans from around the country why there's no better place for the Draft than Music City," said Steve Underwood, President and CEO of the Tennessee Titans. "Along with the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, and some of Tennessee's most talented artists, musicians and businesses, we'd like to welcome the NFL family to our team's hometown."
In addition to the Draft Main Stage performances, GRAMMY-nominated CeCe Winans will sing the National Anthem to open NFL Draft activities on Thursday, April 25. Throughout the week, the Draft Experience Stage will feature 15 Nashville-based acts representing diverse genres of music ranging from pop and indie rock to country. Additional performances and headliners will be announced in the coming weeks.
"Each year, the NFL strives to make the Draft weekend a memorable experience for our fans. The passionate fan base and iconic location will ensure a unique experience that is unlike anything fans have ever seen" said NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business & League Events, Peter O'Reilly. "We want to thank the Tennessee Titans and the city of Nashville for being a gracious host for the 2019 NFL Draft. We would also like to thank Tim and CeCe for generously giving their time to our fans to make their experience even more memorable."
2019 NFL DRAFT EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY OIKOS® TRIPLE ZERO
Sponsored by Bridgestone, Bud Light, Dannon, FedEx, Ford, Lowe's, Mars, Nationwide, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Sleep Number, Verizon and Visa
NFL Draft Experience hours of operation:
- April 25 (Thursday): 12PM to 10PM
- April 26 (Friday): 12PM to 10PM
- April 27 (Saturday): 9AM to 6PM
Activations at the NFL Draft Experience:
- Autograph Stage with current NFL players and NFL Legends
- Interactive games, Play Football clinics, and PLAY 60 Zone presented by Danimals®
for the smallest NFL fans
- Photo with the Vince Lombardi Trophy
- NFL Shop presented by Visa at Draft with exclusive NFL merchandise
- Taste of Tailgate with Nashville restaurants and Bud Light Bars
- NFL Draft Experience Stage featuring 14 Nashville-based artists of all genres
- Look Like a Pro: Step inside a replica NFL Draft Main Stage bearing a draft day jersey of your favorite NFL team and have your photo taken. Share your photos through your favorite social channel and Fan Mobile Pass.
- PEPSI NFL Helmet Photo Opportunity: Find your favorite NFL team oversized helmet and have your photo taken. Share your photos through your favorite social channel and Fan Mobile Pass.
- Combine Corner
- 40-Yard Dash: Race down the field against your opponents and digital NFL players on a giant 40-yard long LED wall.
- Vertical Jump: Jump as high as you can and hit the corresponding flag to discover your vertical reach just like at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Fans can follow the action at NFL Draft 2019 with the Fan Mobile Pass app. The app will serve as the central hub for information and updates on the Draft Experience and concert series, and a chance to gain access to exclusive viewing areas at the NFL Draft Main Stage to watch in person as the picks unfold and Draft boards come to life. The Fan Mobile Pass app will be available in early/mid-April, and all fans who pre-register will be notified when the app is available. Fans may register today at NFL.com/FanMobilePass.
BROWNS' KAREEM HUNT SUSPENDED FOR THE FIRST EIGHT REGULAR SEASON GAMES FOR VIOLATIONS OF NFL PERSONAL CONDUCT POLICY
KAREEM HUNT of the Cleveland Browns was notified today that he has been suspended without pay for the Browns' first eight regular season games for violations of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy in connection with physical altercations at his residence in Cleveland last February and at a resort in Ohio last June.
Hunt was placed on the Commissioner Exempt list on November 30 and was released by his former club, the Kansas City Chiefs, that same day. The findings followed a detailed investigation by the NFL, which included reviewing available law enforcement records, video and electronic communications, interviews with numerous witnesses, and multiple interviews with Hunt.
Hunt has advised the league office that he accepts responsibility for his conduct and the discipline that has been imposed. He has committed to take advantage of available resources to help him grow personally and as a member of the Cleveland community, and to live up to his obligations as an NFL player.
The eight-game suspension will take effect as of the final roster reduction on August 31. Hunt will be eligible to play in the Browns' ninth regular season game.
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BROWNS' KAREEM HUNT SUSPENDED FOR THE FIRST EIGHT REGULAR SEASON GAMES FOR VIOLATIONS OF NFL PERSONAL CONDUCT POLICY
KAREEM HUNT of the Cleveland Browns was notified today that he has been suspended without pay for the Browns' first eight regular season games for violations of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy in connection with physical altercations at his residence in Cleveland last February and at a resort in Ohio last June.
Hunt was placed on the Commissioner Exempt list on November 30 and was released by his former club, the Kansas City Chiefs, that same day. The findings followed a detailed investigation by the NFL, which included reviewing available law enforcement records, video and electronic communications, interviews with numerous witnesses, and multiple interviews with Hunt.
Hunt has advised the league office that he accepts responsibility for his conduct and the discipline that has been imposed. He has committed to take advantage of available resources to help him grow personally and as a member of the Cleveland community, and to live up to his obligations as an NFL player.
The eight-game suspension will take effect as of the final roster reduction on August 31. Hunt will be eligible to play in the Browns' ninth regular season game.
NFL PROMOTES TRIO, FURTHER ENHANCING LEADERSHIP TEAM
Anderson, O'Reilly, Schroeder Elevated to EVP; Jurenka Appointed LA Office General Manager
The National Football League today announced several enhancements to its executive team to best position the League for future growth.
Renie Anderson becomes Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President, NFL Partnerships. She will continue to report to Brian Rolapp, Executive Vice President, Chief Media and Business Officer. Anderson retains oversight of sponsorship, and consumer products and adds media sales to her portfolio of responsibilities. In her new role, Anderson will lead a team – with Brian Matthews, Senior Vice President, Media Sales reporting into her – that will further elevate our sales efforts by integrating our partner management and revenue generating capabilities across sponsors, retail licensees and now also advertisers. Also taking a new role reporting to Rolapp is Senior Vice President, Media Business Development Kevin LaForce, who will lead the Media Strategy and Business Development function that supports the NFL's media licensing businesses while continuing to lead the NFL's venture capital fund.
Peter O'Reilly becomes Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events. He will be focused on driving Club Sales & Marketing operations while maintaining oversight of the League's world-class events like the Super Bowl and Draft as well as the NFL's 100thSeason initiative. O'Reilly continues to report to Chief Operating Officer Maryann Turcke.
Hans Schroeder becomes Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NFL Media and will continue to report to Rolapp. Schroeder will oversee the NFL's Los Angeles office, home of the NFL Network and NFL Digital Media, as well as NFL Films in Mount Laurel, NJ. He will continue to lead NFL Network distribution and manage the NFL's relationships with its media partners as well as the strategy of how best to deploy the NFL's live games across media platforms.
David Jurenka is expanding his role to become General Manager of the Los Angeles operation in addition to his role as Senior Vice President Digital Media. Jurenka will be responsible for optimizing our media operations both today as well as the future, including relocating the media facility to the Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park. Jurenka will report to Schroeder. Senior Vice President Mark Quenzel, NFL Programming and Productions will report to Jurenka. Ross Ketover, Senior Vice President, NFL Films, continues in his role leading NFL Films reporting to Schroeder.
"As we expand the reach and scope of the NFL – while delivering the best possible product and experience to our fans around the world – it's critical that we continue to aggressively evolve the game, the business and how it is managed," said Turcke. "On the heels of a compelling and successful season, both on and off the field, these latest enhancements to our leadership team strategically position us for future growth and help set the stage for the next generation of leaders."
"The League has some of the most intriguing content and compelling assets anywhere," said Rolapp. "We also have some of the finest leadership talent across all sectors of business. These strategic moves complement our unwavering efforts to deliver rich content to our fans when and where they're consuming it. They also make us even more nimble and better position us to help to drive incremental value for our commercial partners."
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| NFL LAUNCHES “TICKETS FOR 100 YEARS,” AWARDING A FAN WITH SEASON TICKETS FOR THE NEXT CENTURY IN HONOR OF LEAGUE’S CENTENNIAL SEASON |
Fans, players, legends, clubs and communities to come together for series
of #NFL100 events, initiatives, and programming through Super Bowl LIV
As the National Football League rewards and honors fans in its centennial season, the League today announced the launch of "Tickets for 100 Years," a first-of-its-kind contest offering a grand prize of a pair of season tickets to the winning fan's preferred franchise for the next century.
This grand prize is the first of a series of incredible fan experiences NFL fans will be able enter to win throughout the league's 100th season, following the launch of the NFL100 campaign during Super Bowl LIII. These experiences officially kick off during the 2019 NFL Draft and continue through the first game of the League's 100th season – before culminating at Super Bowl LIV (Feb. 2, 2020) in Miami.
"The NFL was built on multi-generational fandom that bonds people together," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Giving someone a century's worth of NFL season tickets may be the single greatest sports prize ever offered to a fan. It represents 100 years filled with incredible memories to share with the people who matter most. This is the first of a fan-focused series that speaks to the spirit of the 'Fantennial' celebration at the heart of our centennial year."
In addition to awarding one winner two tickets for 100 years, the winner can pass the tickets down through future generations while also having access to exclusive team experiences and an NFL Shop lifetime discount.
To enter fans, should describe how they are their favorite team's biggest fan of the century in a social post tagging @NFL and #NFL100Contest in an Instagram post (picture or video) or Tweet. The winner will be selected based on how effectively and creatively he/or she conveys their ultimate NFL team fandom in their entry post. No purchase is necessary.
The contest opens March 14 (12pm ET) and closes April 7 (11:59 p.m. ET). Three finalists will be flown to Nashville, where the winner will be announced live during the first-round presentation of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25. For official rules, visit NFL.com/100/contests.
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| NFL LAUNCHES “TICKETS FOR 100 YEARS,” AWARDING A FAN WITH SEASON TICKETS FOR THE NEXT CENTURY IN HONOR OF LEAGUE’S CENTENNIAL SEASON |
Fans, players, legends, clubs and communities to come together for series
of #NFL100 events, initiatives, and programming through Super Bowl LIV
As the National Football League rewards and honors fans in its centennial season, the League today announced the launch of "Tickets for 100 Years," a first-of-its-kind contest offering a grand prize of a pair of season tickets to the winning fan's preferred franchise for the next century.
This grand prize is the first of a series of incredible fan experiences NFL fans will be able enter to win throughout the league's 100th season, following the launch of the NFL100 campaign during Super Bowl LIII. These experiences officially kick off during the 2019 NFL Draft and continue through the first game of the League's 100th season – before culminating at Super Bowl LIV (Feb. 2, 2020) in Miami.
"The NFL was built on multi-generational fandom that bonds people together," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Giving someone a century's worth of NFL season tickets may be the single greatest sports prize ever offered to a fan. It represents 100 years filled with incredible memories to share with the people who matter most. This is the first of a fan-focused series that speaks to the spirit of the 'Fantennial' celebration at the heart of our centennial year."
In addition to awarding one winner two tickets for 100 years, the winner can pass the tickets down through future generations while also having access to exclusive team experiences and an NFL Shop lifetime discount.
To enter fans, should describe how they are their favorite team's biggest fan of the century in a social post tagging @NFL and #NFL100Contest in an Instagram post (picture or video) or Tweet. The winner will be selected based on how effectively and creatively he/or she conveys their ultimate NFL team fandom in their entry post. No purchase is necessary.
The contest opens March 14 (12pm ET) and closes April 7 (11:59 p.m. ET). Three finalists will be flown to Nashville, where the winner will be announced live during the first-round presentation of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25. For official rules, visit NFL.com/100/contests.
2018 PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY DISTRIBUTIONS ANNOUNCED
NFL Players will receive $140.88 million in “Performance-Based Pay” for their performance during the 2018 season, the NFL announced today. The Performance-Based Pay program is a collectively-bargained benefit that compensates all players, including rookies, based upon their playing time and salary levels.
In addition to the Performance-Based Pay pool, the NFL Players Association has elected to dedicate $48 million in benefits (i.e., $1.5 million per club) to fund a Veteran Performance-Based Compensation Pool (the “Veteran Pool”) for players with one or more accrued seasons. In total, $188.88 million will be disbursed to players under the combined pools.
Baltimore Ravens’ center MATT SKURA earned the highest combined distribution of all NFL players in the 2018 Performance-Based Payprogram. He earned a total of $533,558, nearly doubling his 2018 salary, comprised of the following amounts: $395,660 from the Performance-Based Pay Pool, and an additional $137,898 from the Veteran Pool. Skura, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of Duke, started in all 16 games for the Ravens during the 2018 season, playing in every offensive play, as well 17 percent of the Ravens’ special teams plays. He earned the league minimum salary for a player with one credited season (i.e., $555,000). Skura spent the 2016 season and part of the 2017 season on the Ravens’ practice squad before signing a one-year free agent contract with the club early in the 2017 season. He signed an Exclusive Rights Contract with the Ravens in 2018.
Players have been paid approximately $1.5 billion cumulatively since the inception of the Performance-Based Pay program, which wasimplemented as part of the NFL’s 2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Players Association, and continues as part of the parties’ current agreement.
The Veteran Pool is a component of the Rookie Redistribution Fund, which is a player benefit that was created under the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NFL Players Association elected to fund the Veteran Pool for the first time in 2016 and has extended the benefit each season since then.
See the tables below for the top 25 distributions in each category, as well as combined totals.
HOW PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY WORKS
Under the Performance-Based Pay program, a fund is created and used as a supplemental form of player compensation based on a comparison of playing time to salary. Players become eligible to receive a bonus distribution in any regular season in which they play at least one official down. In general, players with higher playtime percentages and lower salaries benefit most from the pools.
Performance-Based Pay is computed by using a player index (“Index”). To produce the Index, a player’s regular-season playtime (total plays on offense, defense and special teams) is divided by his adjusted regular-season compensation (full season salary, prorated portion of signing bonus, earned incentives). Each player’s Index is then compared to those of the other players on his team to determine the amount of his Performance-Based Pay.
The Veteran Pool is computed in a similar manner, with two significant modifications: 1) players with zero accrued seasons are not eligible to receive distributions, however, such players remain eligible to receive distributions under the Performance-Based Pay program; and 2) to calculate the eligible player’s Index, if the player’s full-season base salary is less than $1 million, an additional amount will be imputed so that the player’s base salary equals $1 million. By imputing a minimum of $1 million to the denominator of the Veteran Pool’s index calculation (playtime divided by salary), a slightly higher percentage of the pool is directed to high-performing veteran players whose salaries exceed $1 million but are not among the highest in the league, as contemplated by the formula. This imputation of salary is solely for the purpose of calculating distributions from the pool, and does not affect the actual salary paid to the player under his contract.
ILLUSTRATION OF PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY SYSTEM
Each player on the same team competes for his own share of his club’s Performance-Based Pay pool. The hypothetical example in the table below illustrates how the Player Index works, using a simplified four-player team and a club bonus pool of $1,000,000. Each player receives his share of the pool depending on how his Index compares to those of his teammates.
|
A
Playtime
|
B
Compensation
|
C
Index**
(A/B)
|
D
% of Club Bonus Pool
(C/Team Total C)
|
E
Hypothetical Bonus
(D * $1,000,000)
|
Player A
|
50%
|
$ 500,000
|
10.0
|
50% of the Club’s pool (10 out of 20)
|
50% * $1,000,000 = $500,000
|
Player B
|
50%
|
$ 1,000,000
|
5.0
|
25% of the Club’s pool (5 out of 20)
|
25% * $1,000,000 = $250,000
|
Player C
|
20%
|
$ 500,000
|
4.0
|
20% of the Club’s pool (4 out of 20)
|
20% * $1,000,000 = $200,000
|
Player D
|
10%
|
$ 1,000,000
|
1.0
|
5% of the Club’s pool (1 out of 20)
|
5% * $1,000,000 = $50,000
|
Team Total:
|
20.0 Points
|
|
** Index is multiplied by 107 for legibility purposes only
TOP 25 PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY DISTRIBUTIONS FOR 2018
|
PLAYER
|
CLUB
|
POS
|
COLLEGE
|
ROOKIE
YEAR
|
DRAFT
ROUND
|
DISTRIBUTION
|
1
|
Matt Skura
|
Baltimore
|
C
|
Duke
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 395,660
|
2
|
Austin Blythe
|
LA Rams
|
G
|
Iowa
|
2016
|
7
|
$ 380,060
|
3
|
Jesse Davis
|
Miami
|
G
|
Idaho
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 374,833
|
4
|
Jayon Brown
|
Tennessee
|
ILB
|
UCLA
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 373,575
|
5
|
Cory Littleton
|
LA Rams
|
ILB
|
Washington
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 371,379
|
6
|
Chase Roullier
|
Washington
|
C
|
Wyoming
|
2017
|
6
|
$ 358,849
|
7
|
Joe Thuney
|
New England
|
G
|
NC State
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 352,578
|
8
|
Tre Flowers
|
Seattle
|
CB
|
Oklahoma State
|
2018
|
5
|
$ 337,399
|
9
|
Alex Redmond
|
Cincinnati
|
G
|
UCLA
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 328,932
|
10
|
Sam Tevi
|
LA Chargers
|
T
|
Utah
|
2017
|
6
|
$ 323,682
|
11
|
Eddie Jackson
|
Chicago
|
FS
|
Alabama
|
2017
|
4
|
$ 323,451
|
12
|
Jonathan Jones
|
New England
|
CB
|
Auburn
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 323,294
|
13
|
Damontae Kazee
|
Atlanta
|
SS
|
San Diego State
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 320,931
|
14
|
Andrew Wylie
|
Kansas City
|
T
|
Eastern Michigan
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 311,406
|
15
|
Kendall Fuller
|
Kansas City
|
CB
|
Virginia Tech
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 309,468
|
16
|
Chris Clark
|
Carolina
|
T
|
Southern Mississippi
|
2008
|
UDFA
|
$ 306,770
|
17
|
Graham Glasgow
|
Detroit
|
C
|
Michigan
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 306,379
|
18
|
Curtis Riley
|
NY Giants
|
FS
|
Fresno State
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 304,784
|
19
|
Keelan Cole
|
Jacksonville
|
WR
|
Kentucky Wesleyan
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 301,144
|
20
|
Connor McGovern
|
Denver
|
G
|
Missouri
|
2016
|
5
|
$ 300,952
|
21
|
Desmond King
|
LA Chargers
|
CB
|
Iowa
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 300,335
|
22
|
Kenny Moore
|
Indianapolis
|
CB
|
Valdosta State
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 298,620
|
23
|
B.W. Webb
|
NY Giants
|
CB
|
William & Mary
|
2013
|
4
|
$ 295,905
|
24
|
Chad Wheeler
|
NY Giants
|
T
|
Southern California
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 295,242
|
25
|
Justin Reid
|
Houston
|
SS
|
Stanford
|
2018
|
3
|
$ 293,739
|
UDFA – Undrafted free agent
TOP 25 DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE VETERAN POOL
|
PLAYER
|
CLUB
|
POS
|
COLLEGE
|
ROOKIE
YEAR
|
DRAFT
ROUND
|
DISTRIBUTION
|
1
|
Connor McGovern
|
Denver
|
G
|
Missouri
|
2016
|
5
|
$ 144,472
|
2
|
Matt Skura
|
Baltimore
|
C
|
Duke
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 137,898
|
3
|
Justin Simmons
|
Denver
|
FS
|
Boston College
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 136,941
|
4
|
Blake Martinez
|
Green Bay
|
ILB
|
Stanford
|
2016
|
4
|
$ 136,439
|
5
|
Austin Blythe
|
LA Rams
|
G
|
Iowa
|
2016
|
7
|
$ 133,556
|
6
|
Julien Davenport
|
Houston
|
T
|
Bucknell
|
2017
|
4
|
$ 131,273
|
7
|
Cory Littleton
|
LA Rams
|
ILB
|
Washington
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 130,864
|
8
|
Kendall Lamm
|
Houston
|
T
|
Appalachian State
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 128,472
|
9
|
Graham Glasgow
|
Detroit
|
C
|
Michigan
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 125,705
|
10
|
Kenny Moore
|
Indianapolis
|
CB
|
Valdosta State
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 125,435
|
11
|
Kendall Fuller
|
Kansas City
|
CB
|
Virginia Tech
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 125,294
|
12
|
Chase Roullier
|
Washington
|
C
|
Wyoming
|
2017
|
6
|
$ 122,272
|
13
|
Mike Person
|
San Francisco
|
G
|
Montana State
|
2011
|
7
|
$ 121,394
|
14
|
Jesse Davis
|
Miami
|
G
|
Idaho
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 120,991
|
15
|
Joe Thuney
|
New England
|
G
|
NC State
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 120,697
|
16
|
Curtis Riley
|
NY Giants
|
FS
|
Fresno State
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 120,552
|
17
|
Sam Tevi
|
LA Chargers
|
T
|
Utah
|
2017
|
6
|
$ 118,750
|
18
|
B.W. Webb
|
NY Giants
|
CB
|
William & Mary
|
2013
|
4
|
$ 118,688
|
19
|
Cody Whitehair
|
Chicago
|
C
|
Kansas State
|
2016
|
2
|
$ 118,320
|
20
|
Kevin Byard
|
Tennessee
|
FS
|
Middle Tennessee
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 117,580
|
21
|
Anthony Harris
|
Minnesota
|
FS
|
Virginia
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 117,001
|
22
|
Jayon Brown
|
Tennessee
|
ILB
|
UCLA
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 116,089
|
23
|
Ron Parker
|
Kansas City
|
FS
|
Newberry
|
2011
|
UDFA
|
$ 113,850
|
24
|
Dan Feeney
|
LA Chargers
|
G
|
Indiana
|
2017
|
3
|
$ 113,519
|
25
|
Desmond King
|
LA Chargers
|
CB
|
Iowa
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 112,403
|
UDFA – Undrafted free agent
TOP 25 COMBINED DISTRIBUTIONS (PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY PLUS VETERAN POOL)
|
PLAYER
|
CLUB
|
POS
|
COLLEGE
|
ROOKIE
YEAR
|
DRAFT
ROUND
|
PERFORMANCE-BASED
PAY
|
VETERAN POOL
|
COMBINED DISTRIBUTION
|
1
|
Matt Skura
|
Baltimore
|
C
|
Duke
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 395,660
|
$ 137,898
|
$ 533,558
|
2
|
Austin Blythe
|
LA Rams
|
G
|
Iowa
|
2016
|
7
|
$ 380,060
|
$ 133,556
|
$ 513,616
|
3
|
Cory Littleton
|
LA Rams
|
ILB
|
Washington
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 371,379
|
$ 130,864
|
$ 502,243
|
4
|
Jesse Davis
|
Miami
|
G
|
Idaho
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 374,833
|
$ 120,991
|
$ 495,824
|
5
|
Jayon Brown
|
Tennessee
|
ILB
|
UCLA
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 373,575
|
$ 116,089
|
$ 489,664
|
6
|
Chase Roullier
|
Washington
|
C
|
Wyoming
|
2017
|
6
|
$ 358,849
|
$ 122,272
|
$ 481,122
|
7
|
Joe Thuney
|
New England
|
G
|
NC State
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 352,578
|
$ 120,697
|
$ 473,275
|
8
|
Connor McGovern
|
Denver
|
G
|
Missouri
|
2016
|
5
|
$ 300,952
|
$ 144,472
|
$ 445,424
|
9
|
Sam Tevi
|
LA Chargers
|
T
|
Utah
|
2017
|
6
|
$ 323,682
|
$ 118,750
|
$ 442,432
|
10
|
Alex Redmond
|
Cincinnati
|
G
|
UCLA
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 328,931
|
$ 112,146
|
$ 441,077
|
11
|
Eddie Jackson
|
Chicago
|
FS
|
Alabama
|
2017
|
4
|
$ 323,451
|
$ 111,573
|
$ 435,024
|
12
|
Kendall Fuller
|
Kansas City
|
CB
|
Virginia Tech
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 309,468
|
$ 125,294
|
$ 434,762
|
13
|
Graham Glasgow
|
Detroit
|
C
|
Michigan
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 306,379
|
$ 125,705
|
$ 432,084
|
14
|
Damontae Kazee
|
Atlanta
|
SS
|
San Diego State
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 320,931
|
$ 109,800
|
$ 430,731
|
15
|
Curtis Riley
|
NY Giants
|
FS
|
Fresno State
|
2015
|
UDFA
|
$ 304,784
|
$ 120,552
|
$ 425,336
|
16
|
Kenny Moore
|
Indianapolis
|
CB
|
Valdosta State
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 298,620
|
$ 125,435
|
$ 424,055
|
17
|
Jonathan Jones
|
New England
|
CB
|
Auburn
|
2016
|
UDFA
|
$ 323,294
|
$ 100,135
|
$ 423,429
|
18
|
Julien Davenport
|
Houston
|
T
|
Bucknell
|
2017
|
4
|
$ 290,477
|
$ 131,273
|
$ 421,750
|
19
|
Chris Clark
|
Carolina
|
T
|
Southern Mississippi
|
2008
|
UDFA
|
$ 306,770
|
$ 109,681
|
$ 416,451
|
20
|
B.W. Webb
|
NY Giants
|
CB
|
William & Mary
|
2013
|
4
|
$ 295,905
|
$ 118,688
|
$ 414,592
|
21
|
Desmond King
|
LA Chargers
|
CB
|
Iowa
|
2017
|
5
|
$ 300,335
|
$ 112,403
|
$ 412,738
|
22
|
Justin Simmons
|
Denver
|
FS
|
Boston College
|
2016
|
3
|
$ 272,010
|
$ 136,941
|
$ 408,952
|
23
|
Ron Parker
|
Kansas City
|
FS
|
Newberry
|
2011
|
UDFA
|
$ 290,091
|
$ 113,850
|
$ 403,941
|
24
|
Chad Wheeler
|
NY Giants
|
T
|
Southern California
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 295,242
|
$ 103,563
|
$ 398,804
|
25
|
Keelan Cole
|
Jacksonville
|
WR
|
Kentucky Wesleyan
|
2017
|
UDFA
|
$ 301,144
|
$ 96,893
|
$ 398,038
|
UDFA – Undrafted free agent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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