League owners have approved hiring replacement referees as negotiations with the NFL Referees Association stall ahead of the 2026 season. Training for the new officials is set to begin on May 1 if no deal is reached. The collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of May.
NFL owners, alarmed by the impasse in talks, have authorized the onboarding of replacement referees in the coming weeks. This marks the first such preparation since 2012, when temporary officials drew widespread criticism during a three-week lockout. The league has already started compiling a list of college officials as potential hires, according to ESPN reports. Owners will also vote next week on a temporary rules change allowing the league's officiating command center to review and adjust penalty calls in real time, aiding inexperienced referees. Negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association began in summer 2024 but have made little headway. The two sides met last week for scheduled discussions that ended abruptly after the first morning session, CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones reported. The current collective bargaining agreement expires May 31. NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Miller emphasized the league's push for better performance. 'We believe that there's an opportunity here to improve our officiating and improve the performance and improve the accountability around it,' Miller said. 'And we will pay for performance.' The NFL wants to reward top officials with higher pay and prime postseason assignments, provide more training for underperformers, shorten the offseason break, and enhance overall accountability. Past referee stoppages occurred in 2001, lasting one week, and in 2012, which included the controversial 'Fail Mary' game between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.
