Sigh of relief for NFL, Browns fans? Sign of hope with refs
The NFL may not have to deal with replacement refs for the 2026 season. Cleveland Browns fans have one less worry
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 21: Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns laughs with umpire Scott Walker during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field on December 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images Cleveland Browns fans are starting to feel a little hope with their team . While the biggest question remains ( who will start at quarterback , and are they good enough to lead to victories?
), a huge looming issue lingered over the entire NFL. Multiple times this offseason, news leaked about huge issues in negotiations between the NFL and the referees’ union , with a stoppage all but assumed by many. Given the poor calls made by replacement refs in the past, much less the real ones , fans of every team had concerns about how replacement officials could cause problems for them this season.
In a league built on parity, a bad call here and there could dramatically change the outcome of a season. Now, there is hope that a deal is actually in the works. After a couple of weeks of silence, which may have ended up being a good thing, a deal could be ratified on Thursday: Negotiations between the NFL and NFL Referees Association have progressed far enough that the union has scheduled a ratification vote Thursday night.
Story with @kalynkahler … https://t. co/jrO4AFk1yZ — Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) May 5, 2026 While fans will always question calls made by referees, replacement officials were generally a disaster and are more likely to have their decisions questioned than the veterans. Good news on a Tuesday afternoon.