It’s about darn time. The NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) voted on Wednesday to employ full-time officials in a move that many have been hoping for over the past several seasons.
The vote itself will allow the NFLRA to employ 21-24 full-time officials with the process of selecting them beginning immediately.
Per sources, the NFLRA has approved a plan to implement 21-24 full-time officials. The process of selecting them will begin immediately.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 9, 2017
It’s long been a contentious issue within the league. The NFL’s revenue was slated to surpass the $13 billion mark in 2016. Even then, the idea of employing full-time officials seemed foreign to those involved in the day-to-day operations. That’s no longer going to be the case.
With upwards of two dozen officials working full time to hone their craft, it’s highly likely that the product we see from officials will improve vastly moving forward. If so, it’s definitely a good thing for the NFL and its on-field viability.