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One of the biggest storylines entering the 2026 NFL season was the status of the referees, as the league and the NFLRA were negotiating a new CBA for officials. In fact, the league was beginning the process of training replacement refs in case a deal wasn't done by September.
Instead, the NFL and NFLRA successfully agreed to a new CBA that will keep the league's top referees on the field for 2026 and beyond. The two sides negotiated all offseason and finally found common ground that gave the officials more assurances moving forward.
Here's a look at the new deal between the NFL and NFLRA.
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What the NFL-NFLRA CBA deal means for replacement refs
The NFL and NFLRA announced on Friday that they agreed to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement for the next seven years, avoiding the possibility of using replacement refs this year. The agreement comes before the previous CBA was set to expire at the end of May.
As part of the deal, the NFL will create a "bench" of officials, give officials more access in the offseason and add a new formal training program for officials. I also ensures the league and the referees work together to increase accountability and effectiveness over the course of the season.
The NFLRA has voted to ratify the new CBA with the NFL, averting a work stoppage and keeping the refs on the field. It’s a 7-year deal.
The deal represents a joint commitment with the officials to improve performance and increase accountability, which were the league objectives… pic.twitter.com/5npgDk5SzV
"This agreement is a testament to the joint commitment of the league and union to invest in and improve officiating," NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said. "It also speaks to the game officials' relentless pursuit of improvement and officiating excellence. We look forward to working together for the betterment of the game."
This year's negotiations successfully avoided a lockout, as the referees will go 20 years without a lockout when this CBA expires in 2032. The last time the NFL locked out the referees was in 2012, which is when the league used replacement refs for the first month of the season.
"We see this new CBA as a partnership with the league that benefits our membership but also seeks to make our game better," NFLRA President Carl Cheffers said. "It is good to get these negotiations behind us so we can focus on preparing for the 2026 season."
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