Report: NFL considers centralizing officiating functions in event of work stoppage

In December 2025, the NFL commenced a P.R. push in advance of the looming expiration of its Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Referees Association. The effort apparently has gone to the next level.

Via The Athletic, the Competition Committee's annual meeting in conjunction with the Scouting Combine included a conversation regarding "multiple contingencies" in the event a deal with the NFLRA isn't reached. One possibility includes "the possibility of centralizing some officiating functions in New York and expanding the use of technology."

Under that approach, the league would still have officials on the field. They would be supported by enhanced replay capacity from the league office in New York.

At least one source described the discussions to The Athletic as "largely a negotiating ploy by the NFL," with a belief that a deal will eventually be reached.

When the league and the NFLRA last reached an impasse, in 2012, the NFL's leverage included a willingness to proceed with replacement officials. The league believed that the replacement officials would perform as effectively as the regular officials. Given the eventual implosion of that temporary experiment (the "Fail Mary" quickly ended the lockout), the NFL needs a better alternative this time around.

Although the league has a longstanding habit of pursuing victory in any and all negotiations, some functions are more important than others. The current approach to officiating has significant flaws, both in the on-field calls and the replay process. A step backward would be unwise, especially in the age of legalized, normalized, and heavily monetized sports betting.

This isn't the time to pinch pennies. The league should be willing to open its wallet, reinvesting some of its gambling revenue into ensuring a better, more reliable, and more transparent officiating function. The integrity of the game demands it.