NFL Breaks Its Silence on Major Referee Problem

The NFL is reportedly taking steps toward the possibility of using replacement referees this upcoming season if they are unable to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA).

Obvoiusly, this would not be ideal, given how poorly it went last time the league used replacement referees back in 2012, but it sounds like the league is placing the blame on the NFLRA, as negotiations have not produced an agreement.

Replacement Referees?

According to emails obtained by ESPN this week, the NFL is taking beginning steps toward hiring replacement referees for this upcoming NFL season as a contingency plan in case the league cannot agree to a deal with the NFLRA.

The email indicates that the league is looking for a list of about 150 mostly small college officials who could serve as replacement referees for the NFL.

“Those officials could begin onboarding as early as April then attend a four-day clinic in May. Absent a CBA agreement, they would continue training through the summer and make visits to training camps before the regular season begins,” ESPN reported.

A similar lockout happened in 2012 as the league opted for replacement referees for the first three games of the season, which drew vocal criticism from players, coaches, fans, and media at the time.

NFL Breaks Its Silence

While the NFL chose not to comment on the report that it was looking into replacement referees, the league did break its silence on the matter on Thursday, issuing a lengthy statement placing blame on the NFLRA for the failed negotiations.

"In almost two years of negotiations, the union has made no effort to work with us on a goal we should all share -- ensuring an officiating culture that's centered around performance and accountability," NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs, and policy Jeff Miller said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. "Over the course of that period, we have made numerous proposals that reflect a commitment to rewarding performance, while the union has refused to engage at all on economics. Their focus has centered on demands unrelated to improving the game, such as marketing fees and travel perks.

"We will continue to engage at the bargaining table in the hope of reaching an agreement that strengthens officiating overall and is ultimately best for the game. However, given the union's refusal to discuss material terms and the rapidly approaching expiration of the current agreement, we have been compelled to take steps to ensure football continues uninterrupted this season."

Regardless of who is to blame, this is a rather significant problem that the league would obviously like to figure out before the season begins, especially considering how poorly things went in 2012.