The NFL is finalizing plans to use replacement officials this season if negotiations with the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) fail to extend their collective bargaining agreement before its May 31 expiration. The league's competition committee is implementing contingent rule changes allowing employees at the Art McNally Gameday Central command center in New York to enforce health and safety penalties, a significant centralization of officiating authority. Sources indicate the league is compiling a list of approximately 150 replacement officials, primarily from lower-level college conferences, with an onboarding process starting in May. This move follows a 2012 lockout where the NFL used college, high school, and semi-pro officials during a 110-day work stoppage.

NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller stated the league was 'compelled' to plan contingencies due to the union's refusal to engage on performance-based economics, focusing instead on demands like marketing fees and travel perks. The NFLRA expressed surprise at the consideration of replacements, raising concerns about increased gambling vulnerability and player safety with inexperienced officials facing the NFL's size and speed. Replacement officials could earn about $350,000 annually, with the league offering a 10% increase in game fees and up to 30% for Super Bowl assignments, though substantive negotiations on these proposals haven't occurred. The league also seeks to redirect bonus money towards high performers and lengthen the probationary period for new officials.