What must occur for a player to receive termination pay?

For a player to receive termination pay, they must be on the 53-man roster before or after the first regular season game and then released. This requirement is tied to the structure of player contracts in the NFL, especially under the collective bargaining agreement, which clearly stipulates that a player must be part of the active roster during certain key moments of the season to be eligible for this specific type of compensation.

Being on the roster means the player is recognized as part of the team’s active squad and, once released from that position, they become entitled to termination pay. This provision is designed to offer financial protection to players who are cut after having been a part of the main team during the essential early part of the season, signaling that the organization valued their presence enough to include them on the roster initially.

The other options do not provide a clear pathway to eligibility for termination pay, as negotiating a release or performing well in training camp do not inherently warrant financial compensation upon release, nor does having a minimum of two years in the league guarantee such pay without the specific condition of being on the main roster at pivotal times in the season.