Tag: NFLRA

Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; NFL line judge Jeff Seeman (left) and referee Shawn Smith (14) discuss a call during the fourth quarter between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Report: NFL referees union schedules vote on new CBA

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NFL Referees Association has scheduled a vote for Thursday night on ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL, ESPN reported on Tuesday.

Negotiations between the league and union have progressed, according to the report, with the current CBA slated to expire on May 31. Specifics on the agreement were not yet known, with the league declining comment to ESPN and the NFLRA not immediately responding to a request.

Two years of negotiations had led only to a stalemate last winter and the NFL preparing for the prospect of replacement referees for the 2026 season. The league reportedly began compiling a list of replacements — mostly from the low-college ranks — and plans to start training them by May.

Both the NFL Players Association and the NFLRA voiced concerns last month about player safety if replacement referees were used.

As recently as a month ago, league sources told ESPN that owners were “alarmed” by the current state of the negotiations with the NFLRA. One source said it would take “an act of God” to bridge the economic gaps between the two sides before the CBA expires.

The league had offered a six-year deal with an average annual raise of 6.45%, per ESPN. The average NFL official earned $385,000 in 2025.

NFL owners in late March approved a one-year change to the rulebook in regard to officiating. If replacement referees are used in a game during the upcoming season, the league’s command center in New York can adjust any calls made or not made by officials on the field in real time.

Changes can be made to both calls that were missed on the field and calls that were made but deemed incorrect.

If the CBA is fully ratified by May 31, the new rules would not apply.

In a 2012 game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks with replacement officials, the Seahawks won on a last-second pass to the end zone where players from both teams were deemed to have simultaneous possession. But the NFL later admitted that a Seahawks offensive pass interference penalty was missed that would have given the Packers the victory.

After using replacement officials for the first two weeks of the 2012 season, the league ended the lockout of officials two days after the Packers-Seahawks game.

–Field Level Media

Nov 15, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of a referee picking up a penalty flag during the second quarter of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

NFLPA voices safety concerns over replacement refs

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NFL Players Association and NFL Referees Association have responded to the potential use of replacement officials this season by voicing concerns about player safety.

ESPN reported earlier this week that the league has begun compiling a list of replacement referees — mostly from the low-college ranks — and plans to start training them by May 1. The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFL RA is set to expire on May 31.

NFLPA executive director JC Tretter and NFLRA executive director Scott Green met Tuesday to discuss their concerns and issued a joint statement Wednesday on social media: “Experienced officials matter for player safety.”

“Player safety requires trained, professional officials on the field,” Tretter said. “They manage the game in real time, enforce the rules, and stop situations from escalating. That can’t be replaced by less experienced crews or handled remotely. If player safety truly matters, trained professional officials on the field are not negotiable.”

“Professional officials are trained to control the game in real time,” Green added. “They are the first responders on the field — maintaining order, enforcing rules, and preventing dangerous situations from escalating.”

League sources told ESPN that owners are “alarmed” by the current state of the negotiations with the NFLRA. One source said it would take “an act of God” to bridge the economic gaps between the two sides before the CBA expires.

The NFL has offered a six-year deal with an average annual raise of 6.45%, per ESPN. The average NFL official earned $385,000 in 2025.

“We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached that avoids past disruptions and ensures the game continues to be officiated at the highest level,” Green added.

The concern comes as the NFL made a one-year change to the rule book this week in regard to officiating. If replacement referees are used in a game during the upcoming season, the league’s command center can now adjust any calls made or not made by officials on the field in real time.

–Field Level Media