The NFL is preparing contingency plans to use replacement officials during the 2026 season, with negotiations between the league and the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) showing little sign of progress ahead of the current collective bargaining agreement’s expiration on May 31st.

According to Front Office Sports, the league has begun identifying a pool of potential replacement referees — primarily from lower levels of college football — as a safeguard against a possible labour impasse. The group is expected to number around 150 officials, with onboarding and training processes potentially beginning as early as April.

Those officials would be brought through spring clinics and summer preparations, with the possibility of working preseason games or training camps if required. While the move is framed as a precaution, it represents a clear escalation in a dispute that is increasingly being played out in public.

The NFL has pointed to a lack of progress at the bargaining table as the primary driver behind its contingency planning.

“In almost two years of negotiations,” said NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller, “the union has made no effort to work with us on a goal we should all share — ensuring an officiating culture that’s centred around performance and accountability.”

Miller added that the league remains committed to reaching a deal but has been forced to act in the meantime.

“We will continue to engage at the bargaining table in the hope of reaching an agreement that strengthens officiating overall and is ultimately best for the game,” he said. “However… we have been compelled to take steps to ensure football continues uninterrupted this season.”

The spectre of replacement officials immediately recalls the 2012 NFL referee lockout, when stand-in crews officiated the opening weeks of the season. That period was marked by widespread criticism over inconsistent officiating standards and culminated in the infamous ‘Fail Mary game between Green Bay and Seattle, which ultimately accelerated a resolution between the league and the union.

The NFLRA has made clear it views any return to replacement officiating as a step backwards.

“Frankly, I’m surprised they would even consider it after 2012,” said NFLRA executive director Scott Green.

Concerns extend beyond optics. The union has consistently argued that the speed, complexity and safety requirements of NFL games cannot be adequately managed without experienced officials, raising questions about competitive integrity should replacement crews be used.

At the same time, the league is also exploring structural adjustments to how games would be officiated in a contingency scenario. Sources indicate that the NFL’s Art McNally Gameday Central command centre in New York could take on a more prominent role, including increased oversight of penalties and game administration.

Such a shift would mark a significant step toward centralised officiating — a concept the league has been gradually moving toward in recent years — and could mitigate some of the performance risks associated with less experienced on-field crews.

With the May 31st deadline approaching, pressure is building on both sides to reach an agreement. While the league continues to emphasise that a deal remains its preferred outcome, the activation of contingency plans suggests it is preparing for a scenario in which negotiations extend into the summer.

For now, the situation remains unresolved but, with replacement officials already being identified and trained, the possibility of a repeat of 2012 is no longer theoretical.