NFLRA should make key compromise in CBA negotiations with NFL

The NFL Referees Association is refusing to make a major concession in its negotiations with the NFL. 

On Wednesday, ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported that ongoing labor negotiations between the parties ended earlier than expected because they couldn't make progress on a new collective bargaining agreement. Talks were scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, but ended on Wednesday after a contentious session.  

The current deal runs through May 31. The league is prepared to hire replacement officials if it can't strike a deal before then. Agreeing to a new contract will be more difficult if the NFLRA isn't willing to admit that its clients' job performance could use improvement. 

NFLRA reportedly isn't willing to take steps to improve officiating performance, but it should be

"One source said Wednesday that the NFLRA refused to engage on one of the league's priorities: to improve officiating performance," wrote Seifert. 

NFL officiating is always under heavy scrutiny, but it's faced even more criticism with the rise of sports betting, leading more fans to question calls. And even if gambling weren't a concern, it would still be apparent that it has declined.

"Unlike officials in other major professional sports leagues, many NFL referees work part-time," wrote Forbes chairman Steve Forbes in a story published on Jan. 22. "This fundamental issue, combined with inadequate training periods and lack of performance accountability, has created an officiating system that struggles to meet the demands of a multibillion-dollar league. The substandard refereeing is a disgrace for the number one professional sport in America."

Surprisingly, the NFLRA isn't pushing for officials to become full-time employees. They historically prefer to keep their high-paying, part-time gig. Per Seifert, the average NFL ref earned roughly $350K last season. 

To improve performance, the NFL is seeking to redirect bonus money to high-performing refs and to increase the probationary period for new ones. (The period is currently three years.) The league also wants to spend more time training refs, whom it can't communicate with from the end of the Super Bowl to mid-May, via the CBA. 

"The officials are engaged in a part-time job," NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said Wednesday, per CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't be able to find time to work with the ones who need some assistance, education and training to improve. We deserve that. The fans deserve that. The players and coaches deserve that, and they're held to account just like everybody else is. And officials should be in the same bucket. To the extent they need opportunities for improvement, we believe that there should be an opportunity to help them improve in their performance."

It sounds like the NFL's request is reasonable, meaning the NFLRA should be more willing to cooperate. If it doesn't, the league could be headed for its first officiating work stoppage since 2012, meaning it could be a matter of time before a "Fail Mary 2." Nobody wants to see that.