In the event of another lockout of game officials, the NFL has the concepts of a plan.
And it’s ill-conceived.
The league confirmed on Wednesday, in the clearest possible terms, the intent to dust off low-level officials in the event of another work stoppage for the folks who preside over the games. We’ve seen that movie before, and it stunk.
But the league has an idea for making a better sequel. From the last of the Competition Committee proposals for 2026: “for one year only, to allow the NFL Officiating Department to correct clear and obvious misses made by on-field officials that impact the game, in the event that there is a work stoppage involving the game officials represented by the NFL Referees Association.”
The formulation of the proposal raises several questions as to the authority to fix “clear and obvious misses,” some of which are addressed by the full text of the new provision that would become, for one year, Rule 15, Section 10. However, the last portion of the proposal broadly authorizes the league to: "(i) provide information regarding the correct application of the playing rules; (ii) advise, consult with, or assist the on-field officials on specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present; and/or (iii) address game administration issues.”
Basically, even when the league wouldn’t have the power to change a ruling on the field, the league will be permitted to explain to the on-field officials why they should change the ruling on their own. (How many of the replacement officials will push back against such feedback? The correct answer is “none who hope to keep serving as replacement officials.”)
It’s not like the current replay system has been perfected. We still don’t know who’s making those decisions. The rulebook gives the ultimate authority over replay decisions to the senior V.P. of officiating. As we’ve mentioned on multiple occasions, no one has held that title since Walt Anderson was moved to a different job two years ago. And when Anderson defended the controversial replay decision from overtime in the Bills-Broncos playoff game, he mentioned that the league has an “officiating staff of instant-replay officials,” multiple high-level team employees were surprised by the revelation.
“Explain this to me,” one high-level team employee told PFT at the time. “Entire staff of replay officials? Who are these people? Why is the first time we are hearing about this entire staff of replay officials?”
Now, the authority of this secret team of replay officials will be unleashed on fixing any and all “clear and obvious misses . . . that impact the game”?
Good luck with that. Especially when eight or nine games are being played at the same time.
Already, the replay system becomes overloaded during the 1:00 p.m. ET windows. But that isn’t stopping the league from extending the replay system to fix any and all “clear and obvious misses . . . that impact the game” while a bunch of games are unfolding in real time, at the same time.
It has the potential to be a disaster. Just like it was in 2012. And while the availability of “the NFL Officiating Department” to fix “clear and obvious misses” may have corrected the clusterf—k that marred the outcome of Packers-Seahawks on the third Monday night of the 2012 season, it surely would be much easier to work out a fair deal with the NFL Referees Association than it will be to properly staff, train, and supervise a temporary team of management employees who will be expected to spot the inevitable mistakes made when the game is put in the hands, 14 years later, of glorified amateurs.