The Huffington Post
It’s time to welcome Ed Hochuli and the rest of the NFL officials back into your life! More importantly, it’s time to say farewell to the replacement refs. A deal between the NFL and the NFLRA has beenagreed upon on Wednesday evening, according to Greg Aiello of the NFL.
The ref lockout is over.
Beginning with reports by Chris Mortensen of ESPN and Judy Batista of The New York Times earlier in the day that an agreement was close, a steady drumbeat of positive dispatches emerged from negotiations that reportedly gained intensity after the officiating debacle on “Monday Night Football,” when the Seahawks defeated the Packers, 14-12, by way of disputed touchdown as time expired.
Described as “a tentative contract agreement” by The Associated Press, the new 8-year deal must still be ratified by the union members on Friday. According to ProFootballTalk, the officials will vote on the deal in Dallas, where they will also pick up equipment and receive complete Week 4 assignments.
Related articles
- NFL Referee Lockout Ends: NFL, NFLRA Agreement Ends Use Of Replacement Officials (huffingtonpost.com)
- NFL Ends Referee Lockout; Sides Agree on 5-Year Deal (thepewterplank.com)
- NFL, referee deal not imminent, but Ed Hochuli getting officials ready (seattle.sbnation.com)
- Aiello on NFLRA talks: “There is no such thing as close” (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
- Reports indicate deal between NFL, refs is near (Updated: Deal is done) (blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com)
- PFT: Seahawks’ Tate ‘wasn’t trying to cheat’ (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
