NFL begins onboarding potential replacement refs before negotiations resume

Despite positive talks between negotiators for the NFL and the NFL Referees Association last week, the league has begun onboarding potential replacement officials to ensure that contingency plans for a breakdown in negotiations remain on course.

League officials sent a memo to teams on Wednesday to inform them of the latest development. According to the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Athletic, several potential referees have completed NFL security background checks, while others are in the process. Pre-employment physical examinations were expected to follow.

The NFL planned to begin conducting training sessions with officials previously employed on the Division I, Division II and Division III college ranks. The plans call for online and in-person sessions throughout May, so the replacements could hit the field on June 1 and begin working offseason practices to continue their training.

The onboarding of the replacement officials was not a setback or stall in negotiations with the NFLRA, a league source said. Instead, the process is purely part of the preparation to ensure the replacements can partake in training as soon as possible, if their services are needed.

It’s expected that the NFL and NFLRA will meet in the coming days to resume negotiations.

Last week, officials from both sides, including Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his son Stephen Jones, Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-owner Joel Glazer and Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, met for what were described as productive talks. That was the first positive development reported in some time, as the two sides had engaged in fruitless negotiations over the past two years.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires May 31. However, learning from the past, NFL officials believe they can’t wait until the eve of the season to begin training replacement officials in the event of a lockout with the veteran game officials.

In addition to working minicamp and other offseason practices in June, the replacements would be on the field in late July to continue acclimating to NFL rules and the pace of the game and finalize preparations for the preseason.