The NFL and its players association agreed to a settlement to end its 4½-month lockout on Monday. The NFLPA executive committee and 32 team reps voted unanimously to approve the terms of the deal, which was signed by both sides Monday. "It's been a long time coming. Football is back and that's great news for everybody," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a joint news conference with NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith.