Regular NFL Referees Will Be Back At Work Tonight

After three weeks of questionable officiating and almost constant headlines, the regular National Football League referees are returning to work. An agreement struck between NFL officials and union leaders still needs to be approved by more than half of the one hundred and twenty-one members to be ratified, but at this point, its passing seems like such a formality the regular officials will begin working tonight, prior to this weekend’s vote.

According to ESPN, under the new plan, officials will see their salaries incrementally rise from $149,000 to $205,000 over the next eight years. In exchange for that extra compensation, however, the defined pension plan will be frozen in a few years and transferred over to a less costly defined contribution arrangement. The league will also be allowed to hire extra officials to work year round in the league offices, as well as on the field.

Not surprisingly, both players and fans have already expressed near euphoria about the return of the regular referees. The men in stripes might ordinarily be a target for derision and anger, but after seeing how much more efficiently they keep the game moving, everyone is more than pleased to have them back. That being said, they’ll still get booed after every close call from this point forward. That’s been the referee-fan dynamic since football began, and a lockout certainly won’t change that. Nor should it.