The NFL is facing a referee strike because the current collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of May. To avoid suddenly being left without referees, replacement referees are already being trained.

The NFL is preparing for a possible referee strike and has begun training potential replacement officials. This is according to a memo from Perry Fewell, Senior Vice President of Officiating.

According to the letter, several replacement candidates have already passed safety checks and will soon undergo medical examinations. In addition, online and classroom training will begin in early May. The current collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) expires on May 31.

Teams should receive a tentative roster in the coming weeks for OTAs and minicamps beginning June 1 – if no agreement is reached by then.

“Throughout the process, we will continue to solicit your feedback on the performance of potential replacement referees as we assemble the final officials roster for training camp and preseason games,” Fewell wrote.

NFL referees earn an average of $385,000

Negotiations between the NFL and NFLRA have been ongoing for nearly two years, but have stalled. A meeting with several club owners, including Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys), resulted in “progress,” according to the league, but not enough to stop the replacement plans.

The NFL offered the NFLRA a six-year contract with average annual salary increases of 6.45 percent. In 2025, an official earned an average of 385,000 US dollars. Controversial structural changes include an extended probationary period for rookies, more training time in the offseason and a relaxation of the seniority principle for playoff assignments.

In March, team owners also passed rule changes that allow the league staff in New York to monitor games via video feed if replacement referees are actually used.

Written by Max