NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL's process of hiring replacement referees has reached another stage, according to a memo sent to teams.

ESPN and The Athletic both reported Wednesday that several replacement officials have completed hiring steps including background checks and will soon progress to undergoing physical exams. Training sessions with NFL officiating supervisors would then begin as early as next month.

The league has undertaken these steps because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press last month. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are private.

The NFL's collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association is set to expire on May 31.

According to ESPN, NFL senior vice president of officiating Perry Fewell informed teams in his memo Wednesday that teams will receive further information in the coming weeks about when replacement refs would be able to work offseason workout programs and minicamps which begin on June if no new agreement is reached with the union.

The league and the union have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024.

The NFL has increased its offer to a 6.45% annual growth rate in compensation over a six-year labor deal, but the NFLRA wants 10% plus $2.5 million for marketing fees, the two AP sources said last month.

NFLRA executive director Scott Green told the AP “those numbers are not accurate.” He said negotiations with the league are similar to 2012 when a stalemate resulted in a 110-day lockout and replacement referees were used. ___

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