NFL offering buyouts to longtime employees

The NFL is offering buyouts to roughly a tenth of its more than 1,200 employees, sources said. The league said the buyouts are unrelated to the recent controversies surrounding the sport and league office.

Employees whose age plus years of service at the league equals 70 or more are eligible.

The voluntary buyouts stem from the league’s five-year plan, dubbed Vision 2020. Resulting open positions could then be filled by younger, less expensive talent. Offers were sent out late last month, and there is no plan to make them involuntary.

This “is part of long-term planning to provide fiscal opportunities to employees of long-standing tenure who might want to leave voluntarily,” said league spokesman Brian McCarthy, who confirmed the existence of the offers and stressed that the buyouts do not stem from recent developments.

The NFL headcount encompasses NFL Network and NFL Films.