NFL Referees Association agrees to a multi-year CBA ahead of deadline

The Kansas City Chiefs and the other 31 teams around the league received some much-needed news on Friday. The NFL and the NFL Referees Association announced they reached a seven-year collective bargaining agreement that will run through the 2032 NFL season.

The current deal was scheduled to expire on May 31, with the risk of potential replacement referees in 2026.

"This agreement is a testament to the joint commitment of the league and union to invest in and improve officiating," said NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent in a statement. "It also speaks to the game officials' relentless pursuit of improvement and officiating excellence. We look forward to working together for the betterment of the game."

The agreement was approved by the NFL Referees Association Board of Directors and ratified by the NFLRA membership.

"It was a mutual and determined effort, and the outcome is seven years of certainty for the league and the officials," said NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green in a statement. "We appreciate Troy Vincent and Larry Ferazani and their staff for recognizing that working together to find solutions is the best course of action to reach a long-term agreement."

Before the new CBA's ratification, the league had been preparing for the possibility of using replacement officials with a recruitment process and rule modifications for the 2026 season. The plans could have allowed the league office in New York to watch games remotely and use instant replay more than is commonly permitted.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: NFL Referees Association agrees to a multi-year CBA ahead of deadline