NFL tells teams not to publicly comment on CBA negotiations with officials

The NFL issued a memo to teams on Friday, ahead of the annual league meeting Monday through Wednesday, telling them not to publicly comment on CBA negotiations with officials, a league source confirmed to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Talks have broken off, but commissioner Roger Goodell could provide updates on where things stand during his state of the league news conference that will conclude the meetings.

The NFL’s competition committee is presenting two proposals involving officials for a vote among the league’s 32 teams. Proposals need yea votes from 24 of 32 teams to pass. One would allow league personnel to consult with on-field officials when considering ejections for flagrant fouls or non-football acts, even if the infraction was missed on the field. This would be the only situation in which the NFL’s control center could place a flag on the field.

The other proposal would allow the NFL officiating department to correct clear and obvious missed calls by referees. This rule would only be implemented if there is a referee work stoppage and the league has to use replacement officials. This proposal is part of contingency planning in the event that the NFL and the referees’ union are unable to agree on a new labor deal for the coming season.

Despite lengthy discussions, the NFL and the union have remained far apart in their efforts to hammer out a new contract. No one wants replacement referees, but neither side is willing to compromise. The NFL — which pays referees on average $350,000 per season, including base pay, bonuses, and other benefits — wants to redirect some of the annual bonus money toward high-performing officials and increase the probationary period for new officials. The league also wants a deeper talent pool (a practice squad of sorts) to tap if poorly performing officials need to be replaced.

NFL staff writer Mike Jones contributed to this story