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NFL preparing to turn to replacement refs in 2026

· Yahoo Sports

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Referee Shawn Smith looks on prior to the start of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

If you’re an NFL fan, you know the league has a referee issue. It’s a complicated game to judge accurately, considering the speed of the players and how violent things can get, but you’d think the richest professional sports league in the country would know what a catch is.

So if you thought it was bad, you should prepare yourself for the possibility it could get a lot worse.

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According to emails obtained by ESPN, the NFL is preparing to hire replacement refs for the upcoming season if they can’t come to terms on a new bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association. The emails obtained show the league is building a list of “150 mostly small college officials” that could be begin training as early as April before they would attend a four-day clinic in May.

There have been multiple games over the last several years whose outcome was changed by a blown call. Some of those lost games killed entire seasons. In the 2018 NFC Championship game, a blown call killed the Saints at the end of the game and sent the Rams to the Super Bowl. That’s just one example (one of the worst), but fan confidence in the league’s officiating is rock bottom. Turning to replacement refs won’t help.

Especially considering this happened the last time the league had to turn to replacement refs.

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