When the NFL lockout began, internal personnel were some of the first to feel its effects, having their salaries immediately slashed upon union decertification. Now that the long standoff is over, commissioner Roger Goodell has declared that the league will reimburse all employees for lost wages.
Goodell announced the news Tuesday afternoon in an e-mail addressed to all employees of the league, NFL Films, NFL Network, NFL.com, and its subsidiaries. Beyond the compensation of lost pay, all current staff wages will be restored to their pre-lockout levels.
In a show of good faith, the news stretches to many of the league's franchises, as numerous teams have announced a similar policy. Altogether, each of the seven teams that slashed salaries or implemented mandatory furloughs during the lockout have promised employee reimbursement. The teams include the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, and Arizona Cardinals.