NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with the schedule tells The Associated Press that the NFL has devised a temporary five-week setup for using replacement officials.
The regular on-field officials are locked out and replacements worked the preseason and the first week of the regular season.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has not made public officiating schedules.
In early June, the league locked out the officials, who are part-time NFL employees, after their collective bargaining agreement expired. The NFL Referees Association and the league met for three days at the beginning of September before talks collapsed.
