
NFL Officials Get a 'Practice Squad' Under New CBA to Sharpen Performance
The NFL and the NFL Referees Association ratified a new CBA that emphasizes competition among officials and creates a 12-person practice squad that will be embedded with crews, travel to game sites, and be available to replace assigned officials who underperform or are injured. While the move aims to improve officiating, full staffing by the 2026 season is unlikely, and the arrangement could heighten scrutiny and pressure on on-field officials.













