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# TIME Explains: The NFL Referee Dispute

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## Video: TIME Explains: The NFL Referee Dispute

[Watch (HLS stream): TIME Explains: The NFL Referee Dispute](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/8NUvj7fM.m3u8) (2:29)

![TIME Explains: The NFL Referee Dispute](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/8NUvj7fM/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2012-09-26. TIME’s Sean Gregory explains why the referee lockout has led to some of the worst calls in recent NFL history_


---

Jul 27, 2023 3:28 PM UTC

---

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---


## Transcript

The Monday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks may have produced one of the most controversial endings the NFL has seen in years. It's a potential tipping point in a long running dispute between the league and its referees. Here's what you need to know. [ SOUND ] While on the last play of the game the Seahawks were down five. Russell Wilson, their quarterback, threw a hail mary into the end- zone. If Seattle catches the ball they win, if they don't Green Bay wins. Pretty simple, it wasn't so simple. Golden Tate, one of the Seattle wide recievers went up for the ball But it appeared as if Green Bay defender M.

B. Jennings actually intercepted it. Now, the refs on the field looked confused. They ran over to the scrum, one ref signaled touchdown, the other signaled touchback, and waved his arms as if the game was over. That still image of confusion may define the NFL's 2012 season. In June, the NFL and a labor dispute with its referees union locked out the NFL referees. Like all these labor disputes, it's about money. The NFL wants to put the NFL referees' benefits into 401 ( k ) s, while the refs wanna keep their pensions, which are lower risk. And more traditional. [ MUSIC ] The last three weeks, the replacement refs have done plenty of good things, but their mistakes are gonna be magnified.

Because, no matter what, we'll always think in our heads that the regular referees would get it right because they had more training and preparation. The big time college refs are spoken for. They've got conference games, they're making good money. They're not gonna go leave their college paycheck for potentially a few weeks of scab work in the NFL. So where do they come from? Mostly lower lower division colleges it seems. And maybe some High School refs. You know, you're kind of skipping over the second tier of refs. The high major contrast. There's been all kinds of incidents, the ball has been spotted in the wrong places, games have dragged out, but I personally notices more fights, and the sense is that the players don't respect the cops, and if you don't respect the cops, law and order is hard to maintain.

The hope, for fans in the NFL for players and coaches. [ MUSIC ] Is that this kinda, forces the NFLs hand to settle the lockout with the regular refs. And get the replacements off the field.

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