NFL AGENT EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
25% Rule for Rookies - correct answer- No
Rookie Contract may provide for an annual increase
of more than 25% of the player's Year-One Rookie
Salary unless such contract provides only for
Paragraph 5 Salary equal to the then-applicable
Minimum Active/Inactive Salary for each League
Year of the Contract. For example, if a player
drafted in the fourth round signs a four-year
contract with a $400,000 signing bonus, a $660,000
Paragraph 5 salary, and no performance incentives
in his first season, the player's Year-One Rookie
Salary will equal $760,000, i.e., the prorated portion
of his signing bonus ($100,000) plus his Paragraph
5 Salary ($660,000). Accordingly, the player's
maximum annual increase in Rookie Salary may not
exceed $190,000 ($760,000 x 25%).
30% Rule (Veterans only) - correct answer- No
NFL Player Contract extending into a season beyond
the Final League Year may provide for an annual
increase in Salary, excluding any amount
attributable to a signing bonus (except option bonus
proration) as defined in CBA Article 13, Section 7 of
,more than 30% of the Salary provided for in the
Final Capped Year, per year, either in the season
after the Final League Year or in any subsequent
season covered by the Player Contract.
Accrued Seasons: - correct answer- A season
during which a player has been on full pay status
(Active, Inactive, Injured Reserve List or Physically
Unable to Perform due to a football related injury)
for six (6) or more regular season games. However,
a player who is on the Exempt Commissioner
Permission List, the Reserve Physically Unable to
Perform/Non Football Injury List or the Practice
squad for any of the six (6) qualifying games will
not earn an Accrued Season regardless of his pay
status. Also, bye weeks do not count toward a
player earning and Accrued Season. Earning an
Accrued Season entitles a player to advance
through the free agency system which governs a
player's negotiating rights once his contract has
expired. A player with four (4) or more Accrued
Seasons becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent once
his contract expires (unless he is designated a
Franchise or Transition Player). Also, a player with
three (3) Accrued Seasons when his contract
expires becomes a Restricted Free Agent, assuming
his Club makes the appropriate Qualifying Offer. A
player with less than three (3) Accrued Seasons
,when his contract expires becomes and Exclusive
Rights Player, assuming his Club makes the
appropriate tender.
All Revenues or "AR" - correct answer- All of
the League and Team Revenues that are included
within the definition of All Revenues, as set forth in
CBA Article 12.
Calculating a Veteran's "Salary Cap Number" -
correct answer- Each of the above components
in a veteran player's contract when added up will
equal the player's cap number. Not all veteran
player contracts will contain each of the above
components. For example, some players may have
just Paragraph 5 Salary and a signing bonus. Other
veteran's contracts may contain Paragraph 5
Salary, signing bonus, offseason workout bonus and
a roster bonus. To compute the player's "cap
number" simply add up each of the components for
each season covered by the contract.
Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) - correct
answer- The union contract between the NFL
Players Association and the NFL Management
Council covering the terms and conditions of
employment of all NFL players.
, Credited Seasons - correct answer- Any
season in which a player is on one of the following
lists for at least three (3) regular season or
postseason games: Active List, Inactive List, Injured
Reserve List or Physically Unable to Perform List.
Bye weeks do not count toward a player earning a
Credited Season. A player will also earn a Credited
Season if he is released injured and paid the
equivalent of at least three (3) game checks.
Earning Credited Seasons entitles you to various
benefits under the CBA. For instance, a player who
has earned three (3) or more Credited Seasons in
the NFL qualifies to receive the pension benefit.
Keep in mind however, that the definition for
Credited Seasons for Minimum Salary purposes is
slightly different. Please refer to CBA Article 26,
Section 2 for more information.
Designated For Return - correct answer-
During each season, a team will be permitted to
return two players from either the Reserve/Injured
or Reserve/Non-Football Injury/Illness lists to the 53-
man Active/Inactive List. Any such player must have
suffered a major football-related injury or non-
football related injury or illness (defined as an injury
or illness that renders the player physically unable
to practice or play football for a period of at least
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
25% Rule for Rookies - correct answer- No
Rookie Contract may provide for an annual increase
of more than 25% of the player's Year-One Rookie
Salary unless such contract provides only for
Paragraph 5 Salary equal to the then-applicable
Minimum Active/Inactive Salary for each League
Year of the Contract. For example, if a player
drafted in the fourth round signs a four-year
contract with a $400,000 signing bonus, a $660,000
Paragraph 5 salary, and no performance incentives
in his first season, the player's Year-One Rookie
Salary will equal $760,000, i.e., the prorated portion
of his signing bonus ($100,000) plus his Paragraph
5 Salary ($660,000). Accordingly, the player's
maximum annual increase in Rookie Salary may not
exceed $190,000 ($760,000 x 25%).
30% Rule (Veterans only) - correct answer- No
NFL Player Contract extending into a season beyond
the Final League Year may provide for an annual
increase in Salary, excluding any amount
attributable to a signing bonus (except option bonus
proration) as defined in CBA Article 13, Section 7 of
,more than 30% of the Salary provided for in the
Final Capped Year, per year, either in the season
after the Final League Year or in any subsequent
season covered by the Player Contract.
Accrued Seasons: - correct answer- A season
during which a player has been on full pay status
(Active, Inactive, Injured Reserve List or Physically
Unable to Perform due to a football related injury)
for six (6) or more regular season games. However,
a player who is on the Exempt Commissioner
Permission List, the Reserve Physically Unable to
Perform/Non Football Injury List or the Practice
squad for any of the six (6) qualifying games will
not earn an Accrued Season regardless of his pay
status. Also, bye weeks do not count toward a
player earning and Accrued Season. Earning an
Accrued Season entitles a player to advance
through the free agency system which governs a
player's negotiating rights once his contract has
expired. A player with four (4) or more Accrued
Seasons becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent once
his contract expires (unless he is designated a
Franchise or Transition Player). Also, a player with
three (3) Accrued Seasons when his contract
expires becomes a Restricted Free Agent, assuming
his Club makes the appropriate Qualifying Offer. A
player with less than three (3) Accrued Seasons
,when his contract expires becomes and Exclusive
Rights Player, assuming his Club makes the
appropriate tender.
All Revenues or "AR" - correct answer- All of
the League and Team Revenues that are included
within the definition of All Revenues, as set forth in
CBA Article 12.
Calculating a Veteran's "Salary Cap Number" -
correct answer- Each of the above components
in a veteran player's contract when added up will
equal the player's cap number. Not all veteran
player contracts will contain each of the above
components. For example, some players may have
just Paragraph 5 Salary and a signing bonus. Other
veteran's contracts may contain Paragraph 5
Salary, signing bonus, offseason workout bonus and
a roster bonus. To compute the player's "cap
number" simply add up each of the components for
each season covered by the contract.
Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) - correct
answer- The union contract between the NFL
Players Association and the NFL Management
Council covering the terms and conditions of
employment of all NFL players.
, Credited Seasons - correct answer- Any
season in which a player is on one of the following
lists for at least three (3) regular season or
postseason games: Active List, Inactive List, Injured
Reserve List or Physically Unable to Perform List.
Bye weeks do not count toward a player earning a
Credited Season. A player will also earn a Credited
Season if he is released injured and paid the
equivalent of at least three (3) game checks.
Earning Credited Seasons entitles you to various
benefits under the CBA. For instance, a player who
has earned three (3) or more Credited Seasons in
the NFL qualifies to receive the pension benefit.
Keep in mind however, that the definition for
Credited Seasons for Minimum Salary purposes is
slightly different. Please refer to CBA Article 26,
Section 2 for more information.
Designated For Return - correct answer-
During each season, a team will be permitted to
return two players from either the Reserve/Injured
or Reserve/Non-Football Injury/Illness lists to the 53-
man Active/Inactive List. Any such player must have
suffered a major football-related injury or non-
football related injury or illness (defined as an injury
or illness that renders the player physically unable
to practice or play football for a period of at least
