The NFL issued a memo to clubs this weekend prohibiting public comment on the ongoing CBA negotiation with officials due to what the league says is the sensitivity of the ongoing discussions. The memo stressed that while the league has the highest regard for the game officials, officiating must improve, and that the NFL proposal would enhance the ability to hold the officials accountable for their performance while offering generous compensation packages. The union continues to resist those efforts while seeking raises almost double the rate realized by players over their last two collective bargaining agreements and millions in marketing fees. The ongoing dispute between the NFL and the union representing the game officials will be a topic of discussion when club executives, general managers, and head coaches gather at the league meeting in Phoenix, which begins today.
