The expiration of the current CBA between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association continues to loom. A gap remains between the parties, and as expected efforts to prepare replacement officials are underway.
The league sent a memo to its teams on Wednesday stating the onboarding process of replacements has begun. “Several” officials have now completed background checks with the league, as detailed by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Training sessions – online and in person – are set to begin on or around May 1, he adds.
The CBA between the league and current referees is set to expire on May 31. In the absence of an agreement, replacement officials will be used during offseason work and training camp. Teams will be asked to offer feedback on the performance of the replacements while plans are made for the regular season.
“The league remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement with the NFRA but will be prepared in the event no agreement is reached prior to the expiration of the current agreement on May 31, 2026,” an earlier memo from senior VP of officiating Perry Fewell reads (h/t Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
Earlier rounds of negotiations between the parties did not yield much in the way of progress. The NFL has offered a six-year contract carrying an average pay increase of 6.45% while attempting to bring about several changes to the structure of officiating. Longer probationary terms, a larger offseason period for training and prioritizing in-game performance over seniority for playoff assignments have proven to be key factors from the league’s perspective and have emerged as sticking points in negotiations.
A new set of talks recently took place, as noted by Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport. Those negotiations were productive, Seifert reports. Further talks are expected to take place prior to the May 31 deadline. Multiple owners who serve on committees were personally involved in recent negotiations, and Pelissero adds Jerry Jones was among them. The Cowboys owner has supported the NFL’s position on matters such as performance-based pay and more offseason training. It will be interesting to see if those factors and others see movement in the near future. Otherwise, replacement officials will be present for spring and summer practices.
Well this is about to go horribly lol. Get ready for Fail Mary: The Deuce!
While there has been much talk about the accuracy and consistency of the officiating, I think the bigger concern is integrity of the officiating personnel.
With online gambling as widespread and as integrated into the league as it has become, how can a fan have confidence to know when a call was missed or interpreted tighter or looser, or if an official or their family/colleague is to benefit from the outcome?
There have been several suspensions due to violating the leauge gambling policy, but these usually come to light when someone logs in and bets in a location that is prohibited.
The influence of online gambling has the potential to destroy all of the professional sport leagues.
Stop drinking Goodell’s kool-aid. The internet has made betting more accessible but the reality is that gambling on sporting events has been going on in one form or another for over a century. There was the infamous Black Sox scandal of 1919 but MLB survived and has thrived since. None of the pro leagues are in danger of being destroyed by gambling because if it was going to happen it would have happened by now.
You don’t think that sports gambling has become a smidge more accessible in the last 5-years?
Well that’s what I said but if someone is intent on gambling they are going to find someone to take their action even if online sources aren’t an option for them. Fan Duel and Draft Kings could cease to exist but gambling has existed for centuries and won’t go away just because Goodell claims it’s a threat to the “integrity” of the game.
The only thing worse than the referees in this sport would be to use replacements for the lame referees in this sport. As bad as the regular ones are this could be a total clown show but that’s Goodell for you. They should call him the Ringmaster instead of Commissioner.
Extended training means the referees now get an additional week to learn the intricacies of blowing a whistle and throwing a flag 🙂
As a HS official there’s more to it than that. I know it was a joke just saying. Mechanics, keys, NFL philosophy and point of emphasis to name a few.
I say go and try it. Become an official. I did. I used to complain and complain just like you but I decided to try and see if I can make it better. Go join your local HS FOA and be part of the solution. It’s completely different than what you think you know.
I’m not totally unsympathetic. The sport simply has far more rules than it actually needs and many of those rules are absurdly ambiguous.
You’re not wrong at all. 100% factual. It’s actually pretty insane on the amount of rules. Even at the HS level.
“Right down the middle of the plate for ball 1” incoming
“We’ll give you more money, but we want some accountability and we want you guys to step up efforts to improve performance.”
“NO NO NO NO NO!!! Just give us the money.”
Hire me – without my glasses I’m at a sharp 20/325……..I can see ‘shapes’ right along with the normal Eagle eyed officials!!
There are 4 downs so you’ll also be required to count that high without messing it up 🙂
Complications, yet I do have all my fingers and toes