NFL players approve new collective bargaining agreement through 2030

"The result comes after a long and democratic process in accordance with our constitution," the NFLPA tweeted.

The agreement also paves the way for the NFL to expand its regular season to 17 games, possibly as early as 2021.

Other key provisions of the agreement are higher minimum salaries for players, improved benefits for current and former players, expanded rosters and practice squads, and changes to the NFL's drug and discipline policies, ESPN reported. Players' share of league revenue will increase from 47% to 48% in 2021, and will rise to at least 48.5% in any year that 17-regular-season games are played, the network reported.

The current agreement was set to expire in March 2021, The New York Times reported.

The 10-day voting period ended at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, ESPN reported.

The new agreement also gives the NFL the option to add a wild-card team to each conference, which will add two extra games on wild-card weekend, NFL. com reported.

“We are pleased that the players have voted to ratify the proposed new CBA," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "(The agreement) will provide substantial benefits to all current and retired players, increase jobs, ensure continued progress on player safety, and give our fans more and better football.”

The voting was close, particularly after veteran players including San Francisco 49ers defensive back Richard Sherman and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers publicly opposed the CBA because they worried that extending the season would increase the chances for injuries, the Times reported.

“We know and understand that players have been split on this deal, including members of our EC,” Cleveland Browns center J.C. Trette, the newly elected president of the players union, said in a statement. “Going forward, it is our duty to lead, however we may feel as individuals, to bring our men together and to continue to represent the interests of our entire membership.”

NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith also released a statement after the vote, The Wall Street Journal reported.

"We are a diverse membership with varying points of view,” Smith said. “Relatedly, there will always be issues that are more or less important to some members than others.”

“I hear -- loudly and clearly -- those of you who have passionately expressed their perspective that these gains are not enough when weighed against, for example, adding another game. That position reflects how some members have chosen to weigh what aspect of the deal is important to them.”