NFL refs approve deal, scramble for Sunday return

  • By SCHUYLER DIXON
    Associated Press
  • Posted: Saturday, September 29, 2012 12:11 p.m.
  • Text size: A A A
AP Photo/Nomaan MerchantNFL head linesman Tom Stabile, left, and referee Ed Hochuli arrive at an Irving, Texas hotel Friday. Officials started arriving Friday to discuss and vote on an agreement reached with the league late Wednesday. The union approved the deal Saturday. Some planned to fly directly to their assigned cities for Sunday's game. The deal must be ratified by 51 percent of the union's 121 members.

IRVING, Texas -- NFL referees have voted and approved a new eight-year deal with the league. Now they all can get back to the business of calling games.

Referees approved the contract by a 112-5 vote Saturday morning, officially ending a lockout that led to a rising chorus of complaints from players, coaches, fans and politicians. The next stop for the refs who voted in Irving, Texas, was the airport, where most were to hop on planes taking them straight to their Sunday game sites.

The deal came quickly after three weeks of escalating difficulties for league-hired replacement refs, culminating in a disputed touchdown call that decided Monday night’s Packers-Seahawks game. With a tentative deal in place, league referees returned to cheers at Thursday night’s game between Cleveland and Baltimore.

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