The NFL and the NFL Referees Association have come to an agreement on the issue of backup crews, an NFLRA source said Wednesday.
The 21 backup officials, who will not be NFLRA members, will be in a developmental program. The purpose of the developmental league is to train the backup officials and expose them how to work with the NFL.
The 21 backup officials will work with NFL crews throughout the week but will not work games and will not be eligible to be subbed out.
The two sides negotiated past midnight Tuesday, a source on both sides of the negotiations said.
The owners who have shown no inclination to budge on the referees' benefits issues have gotten more involved in the negotiations, according to the source, and the federal mediator has done well to keep talks on track.
The officials have enjoyed defined-benefit pension plan, and the league has been seeking, in these negotiations, to terminate that plan and switch the NFLRA over to a 401(k)
Negotiations are expected to continue.