Sources: NFL set to begin hiring replacement refs
Why it matters: The NFL is preparing for a lockout of the NFL Referees Association, with replacement officials training by May 1.
- NFL owners are "alarmed" by the state of negotiations and have authorized staff to begin hiring replacement officials, according to league sources.
- The NFL has been compiling a list of college-level officials and expects owners to approve sweeping replay enhancements to support new officials.
- Training for replacement officials will begin May 1, a move that a league source believes will make reaching an agreement with the current union more challenging due to "simple economics."
- The NFLRA's collective bargaining agreement expires May 31, leaving about a month to bridge significant gaps in proposals, from economics to the seasonal job structure.
- The NFL is offering a six-year deal with average annual raises of 6.45%, with the average official earning $385,000 in 2025, but the union has resisted fundamental job structure changes and accountability measures, per league sources.
- League sources indicate the NFL is actively preparing for a lockout, learning from the 2012 mistake of waiting too long to prepare replacement officials, emphasizing there will be "no panic."
NFL owners, "alarmed" by stalled negotiations with the NFL Referees Association, have authorized staff to begin hiring replacement officials, with training set to start May 1. This move, driven by wide gaps in economic and job structure proposals, signals the league is preparing for a lockout as the current collective bargaining agreement expires May 31.
