The newly formed UFL was a breeding ground for NFL talent in its first season, giving some young players a chance to prove themselves and earn NFL contracts.
The NFL hopes the spring football league will do the same for some of its less-experienced referees.
Reporter Ben Austro of the site Football Zebras, which focuses on news related to football officials, reported that the league plans to send four of its newer referees to work in the UFL. The league held its inaugural season in 2024, the result of a merger between the XFL and USFL into one league.
The site noted that the NFL has not had a "true developmental league" for its newer officials since the NFL Europe league folded nearly two decades ago.
"Football Zebras has learned that the NFL has sent four of its officials to work in the UFL to get extra grass time," the report noted. "Vice president of officiating Ramon George, finishing his first year working in the league office, is setting into motion plans to work with officials in their first five seasons that need additional training and improved performance."
The four officials sent to the UFL all have three seasons of NFL experience or fewer. They include Scott Walker and Brian Perry, who are each coming off their first NFL season, along with two-year veteran Brian Perry and three-year veteran Jeff Shears.
"Previously, underperforming officials were jogged around to different crews to pair them up with a top official, such as sideline or cross-field mentorships and the referee-umpire tandems," Austro reported. "While that's still an effective tool, the recently reconfigured officiating department is finally placing an emphasis on coaching."
The NFL officials will be placed together and work five games in the UFL, the report noted.
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This story was originally published March 25, 2025 at 4:59 PM.