NFL
Panthers HC Dave Canales is asked for early takeaways on OT Monroe Freeling
Panthers HC Canales discusses rookie OT Monroe Freeling's development
Yahoo Sports1 min read
NFL
There will be no replacement refs
TL;DR
The NFL has reached a seven-year collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association, avoiding the use of replacement refs. The deal includes improved access to officials and a new training program.
Key points
- NFL and NFL Referees Association reached a seven-year agreement
- Agreement prevents the use of replacement referees
- Includes improved access to officials and a new training program
- Review system changes expected but not abolished
- Avoids past issues like the Fail Mary incident
anticipation dread of replacement refs getting their second crack at the pro leagues.
Based on the media reports, the deal includes increased access to officials in the offseason, a bench of officials, and a new formal training program. All of this is way better than the small college officials getting a four-day training camp if the NFL couldnāt secure the new CBA.
What we donāt know is what happens to the new review system. The plan was for replay assistance expansion, which included voiding incorrect calls/alerting fouls not called. Since that was put in place largely as a failsafe in case the replacement refs returned, expect some changes there. Those new review rules were ratified at the end of March.
The system isnāt abolished, but itās probably a good bet that interventions will be much less frequent now than if the original replacement refs were taking the field.
For those of you San Francisco 49ers fans who are wondering just how bad it could be, donāt bother. All you need to do is look up the Fail Mary, and youāll know how badāand embarrassingāit can get.
Q&A
What is the new agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association?
The new agreement is a seven-year collective bargaining deal that improves access to officials and includes a formal training program.
What changes can we expect in the NFL's review system after the new agreement?
While the review system isn't abolished, interventions are expected to be less frequent now that replacement refs will not be used.
How did the NFL avoid the use of replacement referees?
The NFL avoided replacement referees by successfully negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement with the referees' association.