"The NFL and its referees union agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement through 2032, avoiding a work stoppage that would have required replacement officials. The agreement prevents a return to 2012 lockout conditions that resulted in the infamous 'Fail Mary' call when replacement officials incorrectly awarded a game-winning touchdown to the Seattle Seahawks."
"There will be no replacement referees - and therefore, hopefully, no " Fail Mary " repeat - in the NFL this fall. The league and the NFL Referees Assn. have avoided a work stoppage by agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement that runs through the 2032 season. The current deal was scheduled to expire May 31. The sides having been negotiating since the summer of 2024, and the NFL had begun the hiring process for replacement officials last month."
""This agreement is a testament to the joint commitment of the league and union to invest in and improve officiating," NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said in a statement. "It also speaks to the game officials' relentless pursuit of improvement and officiating excellence. We look forward to working together for the betterment of the game.""
""We see this new CBA as a partnership with the league that benefits our membership but also seeks to make our game better," NFLRA president Carl Cheffers said in a statement. "It is good to get these negotiations behind us so we can focus on preparing for the 2026 season.""
The NFL and the NFL Referees Association agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement running through the 2032 season. The deal avoids a work stoppage that would have required replacement officials for the upcoming season. The agreement is intended to prevent a return to 2012 lockout conditions, including the “Fail Mary” incident involving replacement officials. The current contract was set to expire May 31, and negotiations continued since summer 2024. The NFL had begun hiring replacement officials in the prior month. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said the agreement reflects joint commitment to invest in and improve officiating. NFLRA president Carl Cheffers said the agreement benefits members and aims to improve the game.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]