sports
NFL and Officials Union Agree on Expanded Training and Playoff Access
The new labor deal expands offseason work for officials and removes the two-year eligibility rule for postseason assignments. The league will add eight coach coordinators over two years to support the changes.
focustaiwan.twAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The NFL and its officials union reached a new agreement that increases offseason assignments and removes the two-year eligibility requirement for postseason games. Under the deal, all 17 crews will work organized team activities this spring instead of only crews with rookies.
Officials will also attend all team and position meetings, including film review, even if that requires returning to a club facility.
The league plans to hire eight additional coach coordinators over the next two years, doubling the current staff of eight. The new coordinators will support training for each of the seven position groups. A league source said the NFL is committed to training officials to improve on-field performance.
Officials have expressed concern that past evaluation messages from coach coordinators and trainers have sometimes conflicted.
Officials with three or fewer credited seasons can now earn their way off probationary status by ranking in Tier 1 for one season or Tier 2 for two seasons. The league will select postseason officials based on regular-season evaluations without regard to years of experience.
A league source said the change creates competition from top to bottom by allowing the best-performing official at each position to work playoff games through the Super Bowl.
