Pat McAfee slams potential ‘high school refs’ as NFL evaluates replacement refs during job talks
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The NFL Referees Association and the league remain locked in negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement.
If talks become contentious and extend into the coming months, the league could turn to replacement referees again until a deal is reached, a possibility first reported by Pro Football Talk. ESPN reviewed emails that indicated the NFL had begun “laying the groundwork” to potentially use replacement referees for next season.
If replacements are used, it would be the first time non-conventional referees have been used since 2012. The contingency plan has come under scrutiny from ESPN college football analyst Pat McAfee.
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Pat McAfee takes the stage at “ESPN College GameDay” before the University of Oklahoma-Michigan college football game in Norman, Oklahoma, on September 6, 2025. (IMAGE)
“No, we can’t replace high school referees in the NFL again,” the “Pat McAfee Show” host wrote on X in response to a report that replacement referees are being proposed for the 2026 season.
McAfee underscored the importance of NFL officials, emphasizing responsibility and commitment to the game.
“What we need is for these referees to understand that they are not perfect. We want them to adapt to modern technology. We want them to be for the good of the game, not just for the good of others. Come on referees, we need you… We need you to care about the game. We need you to have a little feeling. We need you to be committed to what the ball is about. And there are many of you who are, and we appreciate that.”
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The labor agreement between the NFL and the referees union is set to expire in May. McAfee, a former Indianapolis Colts punter, cited controversy over NFL officiating in 2012, when replacement referees were used and the “Fail Mary” developed.
Fans greet the regular referees as they return to the football field before the Patriots face the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on September 3, 2012 in Buffalo, New York. (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“Those were terrible days in the NFL. I was there, I wasn’t there for the damn Maria ruling, that was stupid. I like the littlest things though,” he added. “Better, you kick the ball out of bounds, the referees say where the ball goes out of bounds. I have a fucking high school referee, okay, because no college referee would do that.”
The 2012 replacement referees largely came from lower-level college officials and minor professional leagues, including the Arena League. The “Fail Mary” play occurred during a “Monday Night Football” game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle won thanks to a controversial simultaneous possession call on a late play in the end zone.
The NFL shield logo on the field at SoFi Stadium on November 25, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Kirby Lee/magn Images)
“That can’t happen. But we also can’t just hand over total control and lack of responsibility to these referees. We need to work together for the good of the ball,” McAfee concluded.
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Last year, the NFL signaled its intention to strengthen officiating through higher accountability and performance standards, saying it “remained focused on implementing changes to the agreement in ways that improve the performance of our game officials, increase accountability and ensure the highest-performing officials are officiating our highest-profile games.”
Meanwhile, the NFLRA has resisted at least some of the proposed changes, prioritizing the status quo.
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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for News Digital.