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The NFL Referees Association and the league remain engaged in negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement.
If negotiations become contentious and drag on into the coming months, the league could again turn to substitute referees until an agreement is reached, a possibility first reported by Pro Football Talk. ESPN has reviewed emails indicating the NFL has begun “laying the groundwork” to potentially use replacement referees for the upcoming season.
If substitutions are used, it would be the first time unconventional referees have been used since 2012. The contingency plan caught the attention of ESPN college football analyst Pat McAfee.
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Pat McAfee takes the stage during “ESPN College GameDay” before the college football game between the University of Oklahoma and Michigan in Norman, Oklahoma on September 6, 2025. (IMAGINE)
“No, we can no longer replace high school referees in the NFL,” the host of the “Pat McAfee Show” on X wrote in response to a report that replacement referees would be offered for the 2026 season.
McAfee emphasized the importance of NFL officials, emphasizing accountability and commitment to the game.
“What we need is for these referees to understand that they are not perfect. We want them to adapt to modern technology. We want them to be for the good of the game, not just for the good of each other. Come on, referees, we need you.
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The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the referees union will expire in May. McAfee, a former punter for the Indianapolis Colts, cited the NFL officiating controversy in 2012, when replacement referees were used and the “Fail Mary” played out.
Fans greet regular referees as they return to the football field before the Patriots face the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on September 3, 2012 in Buffalo, New York. (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“Those were terrible days in the NFL. I was there, I wasn’t there for the f—–g Fail Mary, it was stupid. But like the smallest things,” he added. “Bettor, you throw the ball out of bounds, the refs say where the ball goes out of bounds. I got a damn junior high ref, right, because no college ref would do it.”
Replacement referees in 2012 were largely drawn from lower-level college officials and minor professional leagues, including the Arena League. The play “Fail Mary” occurred during a “Monday Night Football” game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle won thanks to a controversial simultaneous possession call on a late end zone play.
The NFL Shield logo on the field at SoFi Stadium on November 25, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Kirby Lee/magn Images)
“That can’t happen. But we also can’t hand over total control and lack of accountability to these referees. We have to work together for the good of the ball,” McAfee concluded.
Last year, the NFL signaled its intention to strengthen officiating through stricter accountability and performance standards, saying it “remains focused on implementing changes to the agreement in ways that improve the performance of our game officials, increase accountability and ensure the highest-performing officials officiate our highest-profile games.”
Meanwhile, the NFLRA has reportedly resisted at least some proposed changes, favoring the status quo.
