After a long three month standoff between the NFL and the NFLRA the replacement refs are retired and Ed and the crew will be back on the field immediately.
Although a agreement has been reached it is not official and detail are still being worked out. Nevertheless the official referees will be back on the field starting tonight as the Cleveland Browns host the Baltimore Ravens.
After the insane ending to a Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks game on Monday Night Football where a replacement referee made a horrible call in the end zone affecting the outcome of the game NFL owners realized something had to be done.
Yes NFLRA ref will be on the field immediately but No a total agreement hasn’t been reached.
According to ESPN.com: “The agreement hinged on working out pension and retirement benefits for the officials, who are part-time employees of the league. The tentative pact calls for their salaries to increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019.
Under the proposed deal, the current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season or until the official earns 20 years’ service. The defined benefit plan will then be frozen.
Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement. The annual league contribution made on behalf of each game official will begin with an average of more than $18,000 per official and increase to more than $23,000 per official in 2019.”
Regardless of joy now I’m sure the NFL and it’s players will all be rejoicing in the return of the refs until they also make a questionable call. Either way it will be great to get back to watching football as we know it.
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