The Negative Impact of the NFL Franchise Tag Is ‘Undeniable’

By Elijah Shelton The National Football League (NFL) uses a franchise tag system to allow teams to keep key players who are about to become free agents. Introduced in 1993, this system prevents players from signing with other teams by locking them into a one-year contract (Robinson). While it was intended to help teams retain important talent, the franchise tag has led to several high-profile conflicts between players and teams, with athletes often forced into short-term agreements that don't re