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The NFL has reportedly begun bringing in replacement officials in case its union referees are unavailable.
The Athletic reported that teams received a memo from league officials on Wednesday informing them that potential replacements had undergone or were undergoing background checks.
The outlet reported that officials have worked at the NCAA level in all divisions and physical exams will be conducted.
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Referees are on the field before a game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on December 25, 2024. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
The NFL Referees Association is seeking a new labor agreement, and teams have been told to expect replacement officials at practices if an agreement is not reached by June 1. The current agreement between the NFLRA and the league expires on May 31, and the league and NFLRA have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024.
“Throughout the process, we will continue to solicit your feedback on the performance of potential replacement referees as we finalize the list of game officials for training camp and preseason games,” Perry Fewell, the league’s senior vice president of officiating, wrote in the memo, via ESPN.
Referee Shawn Hochuli calls a holding penalty during a game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills on December 1, 2022 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)
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“The negotiations have not progressed as we expected from a time standpoint,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at the conclusion of the league’s annual meeting. “Obviously we have an obligation to play to the fans and to everyone in the National Football League. We will be ready to play. We are taking the appropriate steps to be ready, but we are also very focused on negotiations.”
Replacement referees were used to start the 2012 season, with arguably the most infamous result being the “Fail Mary” in Seattle, when the Seahawks won on a controversial simultaneous possession call on an end zone play late in the game.
Last year, the NFL signaled its intention to strengthen officiating through higher accountability and performance standards, saying it “remained focused on implementing changes to the agreement in ways that improve the performance of our game officials, increase accountability and ensure the highest-performing officials are officiating our highest-profile games.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, speaks with referee John Hussey before an NFL Wild Card Playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings on January 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
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The NFLRA has reportedly resisted at least some of the proposed changes, prioritizing the status quo.
