The NFL is preparing for a possible strike by referees and is planning to deploy replacement referees. Now the NFLPA union is getting involved.

The NFL players’ union NFLPA has backed the league’s referees.

In the ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the NFL, the NFLPA is explicitly calling for the use of trained professional referees on the field – and rejects substitutes.

NFLPA Executive Director JC Tretter explained in a statement that the safety of the players can only be guaranteed with experienced officials.

“Officials manage the game in real time, enforce the rules and prevent situations from escalating. That can’t be replaced by less experienced crews or from afar,“ said Tretter: ”If player safety really matters, trained professional officials on the field are non-negotiable.”

NFL: Players’ and referees’ union in exchange

Tretter met with Scott Green, Executive Director of the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA), on Tuesday. The NFLPA and NFLRA subsequently released a joint statement.

The statement said that less experienced referees increase the risk of injury to players because they miss calls or intervene too late.

Green added: “Professional officials are trained to control the game in real time. They are the first responders on the field – they keep order, enforce rules and prevent dangerous situations.”

The current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLRA expires on May 31. The league is already preparing for a possible work stoppage and this week began compiling a list of replacement referees – mainly from the lower college leagues. Their training is scheduled to start on 1 May.

In addition, the NFL owners have decided to centralize refereeing: Staff are to be relocated to a command center in New York to monitor games and advise replacement referees in real time.

The NFLPA emphasizes that it supports referee negotiations to ensure the quality of games and the safety of players in the long term..