Twenty years ago, the final weeks of what was the last season for the Browns in Ohio were marred by the news that the team was moving. This year, the rest of the season will now be undermined in three cities that the local NFL teams soon will try to vacate.
Per multiple reports, Steelers owner Art Rooney, a member of the NFL’s L.A. committee, said Wednesday that he expects three teams to apply for relocation to Los Angeles in January. Rooney’s comments mean that fans in Oakland, San Diego, and St. Louis now know that the Raiders, Chargers, and Rams, respectively, will be trying to secure permission to make like a tree and get out of here come January.
Rooney also said that the relocation window won’t change; the period for filing paperwork to move opens in January and Rooney expects a vote to be taken that month.
With a supermajority of 24 “yes” votes needed, no owner likely will have enough votes to secure permission to move, if the three franchises are fighting among themselves. The outcome will hinge on the maneuverings behind the scenes, with the three teams working out a solution that is acceptable to the league and, more importantly, to each of them.