Sorry situation comes to an end

NEW YORK - The replacement officials are gone, and the NFL is sorry it took so long. Now fans can go back to complaining about the calls made by the regular refs.

The sport's experiment with replacements ended Thursday night when a veteran crew worked the Browns-Ravens game. Referee Gene Steratore, a 10-year veteran, strolled onto the field at M&T Bank Stadium with little fanfare about 21/2 hours before kickoff, still wearing a coat and tie as he paced along the sidelines. Among his other routine tasks was a brief talk to a stadium official about the wireless on-field microphone the referee wears.

"Show me how this one works," Steratore said as he examined the unit.

Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized to fans for the anxiety of the last three weeks while denying that using replacement officials increased the chances of flagrant mistakes.

After two days of marathon negotiations - and mounting frustration across the league - the NFL and the officials' union announced at midnight Wednesday that a tentative eight-year agreement had been reached to end a lockout that began in June.

Goodell insisted the timing of the deal was not a reaction to the outcry over Monday night's game, when a missed call cost Green Bay a win against the Seattle Seahawks.

The two sides had been in "intensive negotiations" the last two weeks, he said, although he acknowledged it "may have pushed the parties further along."

For the Packers, Redskins, Lions, and other teams who voiced their displeasure with calls that might have swayed games, the agreement doesn't change their records.

"Obviously when you go through something like this, it is painful for everybody," Goodell said. "Most importantly, it is painful for our fans. We are sorry to have to put our fans through that, but it is something that in the short term you sometimes have to do to make sure you get the right kind of deal for the long term."

The commissioner watched Monday night's game from his house.

"You never want to see a game end like that," he said.

The agreement hinged on working out pension and retirement benefits for the officials, who are part-time employees of the league.

Goodell said the NFL's offer to increase the deal's length from five to eight years spurred some concessions from the officials.

The tentative pact calls for their salaries to increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019. The current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season or until the official earns 20 years' service.

The defined benefit plan will then be frozen. Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement.

Beginning with the 2013 season, the NFL will have the option to hire a number of officials on a full-time basis to work year-round, including on the field. The NFL also will be able to retain additional officials for training and development and can assign those officials to work games.

The tentative deal must be ratified by 51 percent of the union's 121 members. They plan to vote Friday and Saturday in Dallas.

The NFL used replacement referees for the first three weeks of the season. Here are five crucial calls that were missed.

Week 3, Green Bay at Seattle: No play will be more identified with the replacement officials than their determination of a "simultaneous possession" between Seahawks receiver Golden Tate and Packers safety M.D. Jennings on Monday, resulting in a Seahawks win. It appeared Jennings had an interception on the play.

Week 3, Detroit at Tennessee: A personal foul was marked from the Lions' 44-yard line instead of the Titans' 44-yard line. The Titans benefited from the extra 12 yards and were able to kick a decisive field goal in overtime.

Week 1, Seattle at Arizona: In the final minute, the Seahawks were given an extra timeout. The Cardinals held on to win, but the Seahawks benefited from the stopped clock. (The 49ers were also accidentally credited with a timeout and replay reviews they didn't have last weekend.)

Week 2, Denver at Atlanta: This Monday Night Football game was headlined by physical plays, outraged coaches, and a first half that lasted around two hours. Broncos coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio were both fined for publicly criticizing officials.

Week 3, Baltimore at New England: The Ravens' game-winning field goal against the Patriots on Sunday went over the uprights, making it difficult to determine whether the field goal was good. Patriots coach Bill Belichick chased the officials seeking an explanation and was fined for making contact. - Zach Berman

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