The NFL has a shortage of officers this season, for now. The league announced on Friday that seven officials had selected not to participate in the 2020 season amid considerations of coronaviruses. Officials had until Thursday to retire the year.
Five box officials have chosen to take a license for the 2020 season: Jeff Bergman (line judge), Steve Freeman (box judge), Greg Gautreaux (box judge), Joe Larrew (box judge) and Tony Steratore (box judge). . The other two officers were repeating officers and were named in the NFL operations release.
Everyone who retired in 2020 was guaranteed their jobs for the 2021 season and won $30,000, in accordance with the agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association.
If a fit officer tests positive for COVID-19 during the season, he will be treated as an injury that was suffered while performing a “league-authorized or resealed activity”. The worker shall be entitled to compensation for money from the destination, medical expenses and other applicable benefits. If an officer tests positive for COVID-19, or shows symptoms of illness at a gambling site, medical, accommodation and travel expenses will be covered through the league.
The league also announced that more officials would be hired in the coming days, making sure they have a full list for the 2020 season. This year, the NFL assigns geography-based referee groups, limiting and allowing individual officers to reach as many games as possible. The NFL also announced earlier this week that the rules that officers would not arbitrate a game involving the same team more than twice a season, and regularly at least six weeks between games, would be removed due to geographic assignments. The referees will most likely referee several matches involving the same team, but those procedures are not in place until 2020.
The NFL suspended the full-time arbitration program last season, so they’re all part-time employees.
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