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NFL Workout Agreements

NFL injuryEach team’s first NFL minicamp is required for all players, rookies and veterans. An NFL player’s uniform contract includes a clause for medical care and continued salary payments in case of an injury. The problem is that many drafted players and undrafted players trying to make a team will perform in minicamp without any signed deal. Without a uniform contract signed between player and team, the player could be SOL if he suffers an unfortunate injury. But there is a preventative measure: a workout agreement.

The workout agreement, which is individually negotiated with the NFL club, provides that if the player sustains an injury in the minicamp he will be covered as if he was injured while performing under an NFL player contract, including the right to medical care and a salary guarantee for injury.

This makes common sense to me if you are a player who got selected in the first or second round and the team is committed to making you a part of its future. But what about an undrafted free agent who is just trying to get a look? In that case, he does not have any bargaining power and demanding a workout agreement may make a team hesitate in giving him a legitimate shot. Obviously, if you can get your rookie client into a minicamp with a workout agreement, you and your boy are better off. Always think about the worst possible scenario playing out and protect your client accordingly.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

One reply on “NFL Workout Agreements”

I don’t think undrafted free agents have enough leverage to ask for any kinds of guarantees. There may be a handful each year, but most are just happy to be in a camp, since I think statistically only about 8 percent of them make rosters.

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