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Kalyn Kahler
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Kalyn Kahler
ESPN
- Kalyn Kahler is a senior NFL writer at ESPN. Kalyn reports on a range of NFL topics. She reported about the influence of coaching agents on NFL hiring and found out what current and former Cowboys players really think about the tour groups of fans that roam about The Star every day. Before joining ESPN in July of 2024, Kalyn wrote for The Athletic, Defector, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. She began her career at Sports Illustrated as NFL columnist Peter King’s assistant. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she was a varsity cheerleader. In her free time, Kalyn takes Spanish classes and teaches Irish dance. You can reach out to Kalyn via email.
Multiple Authors
The NFL Referees Association ratified a new 7-year collective bargaining agreement Friday with the NFL, concluding a multiyear negotiation and eliminating the possibility of a work stoppage prior to the 2026 season.
Full details of the agreement were not immediately available, but the NFL tied the negotiations into several initiatives for improving officiating and, according to sources, the league will get increased access to officials in the offseason for a formal training program during minicamps, training camps and joint practices. The NFL will also develop a bench of officials and will have greater latitude to use performance metrics for postseason assignments rather than seniority.
In a statement, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said: “This agreement is a testament to the joint commitment of the league and union to invest in and improve officiating. It also speaks to the game officials’ relentless pursuit of improvement and officiating excellence. We look forward to working together for the betterment of the game.”
Officials will receive significant raises from their 2025 salaries. Earlier this spring, the NFL offered a 10% increase in game fees across the board in the regular season and up to 30% for those who work the Super Bowl, per sources at the time. The league had hoped to increase the probationary period for new officials from three years to four, but the agreement kept that duration at three years.
The NFLRA’s current CBA was set to expire May 31.
“It was a mutual and determined effort, and the outcome is seven years of certainty for the league and the officials,” NFLRA executive director Scott Green said in a statement. “We appreciate Troy Vincent and [lead negotiator] Larry Ferazani and their staff for recognizing that working together to find solutions is the best course of action to reach a long-term agreement.”
The sides had been negotiating for more than two years but reached a stalemate late this winter. The NFL began recruiting potential replacement officials from the college ranks in early March, and owners approved a sweeping set of rules that would have allowed league staff members to assist in the officiating of games from NFL headquarters in New York.
Those rules were contingent on the use of replacement officials, which means they will not apply to the 2026 season.
“We see this new CBA as a partnership with the league that benefits our membership but also seeks to make our game better,” added NFLRA president Carl Cheffers. “It is good to get these negotiations behind us so we can focus on preparing for the 2026 season.”
