The NFL is reportedly considering a change to its officiating structure for the 2026 season and beyond.
There is a looming battle regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Referees Association. It's a rising possibility that there will not be an agreement reached before the 2026 season.
If that is the case, changes could be coming.
According to a report from The Athletic, one growing possibility is that the league could centralize some officiating functions in New York. There would still be officials on the field, though more calls could be made from the replay booth in New York.
NFL refs on field. Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
Having more calls made from the replay center in New York would be a pretty big change to how things work.
The majority of on-field calls are still made by the refs on the field. However, that could change with this new setup.
It remains to be seen if this is a negotiating tactic or real strategy, though
This new setup could lead to less referees, which would be bad for the officiating association, so it's possible that this is just a negotiating ploy before the CBA talks.
"In such a scenario, one source added, the league would still have officials on the field, but the NFL would rely more on replay help from its Art McNally Gameday Central in New York," The Athletic reported.
"One of those people with knowledge of the discussions believes that this is largely a negotiating ploy by the NFL. That person believes the league and officials will reach an agreement in time for the 2026 season, even if negotiations drag into the summer.
"The league has been in talks with the NFLRA about a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024. Their current agreement expires on May 31."
It would be interesting to see how it plays out, though.
Copyright The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved