Report: NFL starts onboarding potential replacement referees ahead of CBA expiration

The NFL has began the process of onboarding potential replacement referees, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported. The CBA with the NFL Referees Association is nearing its expiration date.

According to ESPN, “several” potential replacement officials have gone through background checks with NFL security and are gearing up for physical exams. Training sessions with the NFL would also start around May 1. That gives a window of time before the CBA is due to expire May 31.

If so required, replacement referees would work during OTAs and minicamps starting June 1, barring a new CBA. The NFL’s senior vice president of officiating, Perry Fewell, said the league is also looking to get feedback from teams, according to a memo obtained by ESPN.

“Throughout the process we will continue to solicit your feedback on the performance of the potential replacement officials as we finalize the game official roster for training camp and preseason games,” Fewell said.

ESPN previously reported the NFL is looking for 150 officials to serve as replacements. The ideal candidates would have experience working small college games, with onboarding to begin in April. It appears that is just about underway. A four-day clinic would take place in early May as part of that process.

The NFL started looking into potential replacement referees in March with two months to go until the CBA’s expiration date. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time the league had to call in replacement officials. It famously did so in 2012 during a lockout which ran through the third week of the season.

However, the current situation is already drawing pushback from big names. Pat McAfee, who played for the Indianapolis Colts during the 2012 season which required replacement officials, issued a passionate plea for the two sides to come to terms on a deal.

“Nope. We can’t be doing that. Can’t be doing that,” McAfee said, in part. “What we need is these refs to understand that they’re not perfect. We want them to adapt with the modern technology. We want them to be for the good of the game, not just for the good of each other. Come on refs. We need you. But, we also need you not to be ass in the biggest moments. We need you to care about the game. We need you to have a little bit of feel, and we need you to be committed to what ball is.”