How much money do NFL referees make? Salaries & pay structure for game officials in 2020

The NFL naturally prefers to focus on the good that comes from its officiating department. According to the league, "game officials are typically accurate on 98.9 percent of calls."

Regardless of whether that ambitious number is accurate, it's the 1.1 percent of calls that are missed that make NFL viewers wonder how much the referees and other game officials are paid.

NFL officiating is a thankless job, but referees, umpires, down judges, line judges, field judges, side judges and back judges make pretty good money considering their pro football jobs are part-time gigs. For two years from 2017-18, the NFL had a program in place that made roughly 20 percent of its officiating roster full-time league employees. But that program was abandoned last year, so all 119 NFL game officials in 2020 are part-time employees.

MORE: Here are the NFL's highest paid players in 2020

Because all NFL referees and officials are part-time employees, they're forced into a dark period from the end of each season through mid-May. Of course, they're essentially full-time workers during the season.

Some argue the NFL making all game officials full-time paid employees would improve the quality of the league's officiating, with the theory being connected to the value of year-round training. Others argue full-time employment is not essential because the best way to perfect the craft of NFL officiating is in-game experience.

Below is everything else you need to know about how much money NFL referees and other game officials make in 2020, plus a complete roster of this year's NFL officials and their on-field responsibilities.

How much money do NFL referees make?

The amount of money NFL referees and other game officials make is undisclosed, but we have a good idea based on the pay figures in the recently expired collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association.

NFL officials earned an average of $205,000 for the season in 2019. According to Football Zebras, the new CBA the league and the refs agreed upon last September included "a "substantial bump in game checks" and an increased contribution from the NFL into 401(k) retirement plans."

According to Money Magazine, that $205,000 average included "a base rate plus a certain amount of money per game." Reports indicate the pay structure in the new CBA is set up the same way.

For what it's worth, the average annual earnings ($205k) of NFL officials last year, the last of the previous CBA, was up from an average of $149,000 from the last year of the CBA that expired in 2011.

Referees naturally make the most among the seven positions of on-field officials, but the rest of the pay breakdown is unknown.

NFL referees, officials in 2020

The NFL in July announced its official roster of 119 game officials for the 2020 season. The roster includes three former NFL players in back judge Steve Freeman, field judge Nate Jones and umpire Terry Killens.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, NFL game officiating crews in 2020 are assigned to games based on geography in an effort to limit travel. The NFL typically ensures that officials don't work a game involving the same team more than twice in a season with usually at least six weeks between such games. Those guidelines are being waived this year.

Five on-field officials — Jeff Bergman, Steve Freeman, Greg Gautreaux, Joe Larrew and Tony Steratore — elected to take a leave of absence for the 2020 season amid the pandemic.

Below is the complete roster of all 119 NFL game officials for 2020.

NFL referees & officials assignments

Each of the seven NFL officials on the field in a given NFL game have specific roles, watching different areas of the field and looking out for different kinds of penalties on a given play.

Below are the responsibilities of each official, via NFL Operations.

• Referee

Lining up 10-12 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the offensive backfield, the referee is the white-hat wearing leader of the crew who signals all penalties and is the final authority on all rulings. Below are the referee's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.

Run plays: Watches nap; follows QB until action moves downfield; then follows runner to determine forward progress and position of the ball; determines first downs or if a measurement is necessary.

Pass plays: Shadows QB from drop to release; drops back as the play starts and monitors offensive tackles; turns attention solely to QB as defense approaches; watches for roughing the passer; rules on intentional grounding; makes the decision whether a loose ball is a fumble or incomplete pass.

Special teams: Watches for running into/roughing the kicker.

• Umpire

Lining up next to the referee 10-12 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the offensive backfield, the umpire primarily watches for holding and blocking fouls. He or she also reviews player equipment, counts offensive players on the field and marks off penalty yardage. Below are the umpire's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special teams-plays.

Run plays: Watches for false starts on offensive line; watches for illegal blocks by the offense or any defensive fouls at the line of scrimmage.

Pass plays: Watches for false stars on offensive line; on screens, turns attention to intended receiver to make sure he is able to run his route; watches for blocking penalties.

Special teams: Watches for any penalties.

• Down judge

Lining up on the sideline and looking directly down the line of scrimmage, the down judge directs the chain crew, informs the ref of the down and rules on sideline plays on the nearest half of the field. Below are the down judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.

Run plays: Watches for offside or encroachment; monitors sideline; determines when/if a runner is out of bounds; marks runner's forward progress.

Pass plays: Watches nearest receiver for first seven yards of his route until he is clear the point of legal contact for defensive backs; watches for pass interference.

Special teams: Watches for offside and encroachment; rules on penalties involving blockers and defenders on trick plays.

• Line judge

Lining up on the sideline opposite the down judge and looking directly down the line of scrimmage, the line judge has similar duties without the chain crew direction. Below are the line judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.

Run plays: Watches for offside and encroachment; watches blockers and defenders on nearest side for penalties.

Pass plays: Watches for offside and encroachment on nearest side of field; follows nearest receiver for seven yards downfield; moves into offensive backfield to determine if pass is forwards or backwards; makes sure passer is behind the line of scrimmage when he throws the ball.

Special teams: Stays at line of scrimmage on punts to make sure only players on the ends of the line move downfield before the kick; rules on whether the kick crosses the line of scrimmage; watches kicking team for penalties.

• Field judge

Lining up on the same sideline as the line judge but 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield, the field judge counts defensive players and watches wide receivers/defensive backs on the nearest side of the field. Below are the field judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.

Run plays: Watches widest receiver's blocking and looks for illegal use of hands or holding; determines if/when a runner on nearest side of the field goes out of bounds.

Pass plays: Watches widest receiver on nearest side of the field and makes sure he is able to run his route without interference; rules on whether a pass to nearest side of the field is incomplete; rules on whether a receiver is in or out of bounds when he makes a catch; watches for pass interference.

Special teams: Rules on blocking during punts; lines up under goal posts to rule on whether field goals and extra points are good.

• Side judge

Lining up on the same sideline as the down judge but 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield, the side judge backs up the clock operator, signals to the ref when time expires for each quarter and counts defensive players. Below are the side judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.

Run plays: Watches widest receiver's blocking and looks for illegal use of hands or holding; determines if/when a runner on nearest side of the field goes out of bounds.

Pass plays: Watches widest receiver on nearest side of the field and makes sure he is able to run his route without interference; rules on whether a pass to nearest side of the field is incomplete; rules on whether a receiver is in or out of bounds when he makes a catch; watches for pass interference.

Special teams: Watches punt returner and any action around him; joins umpire in defensive backfield on field goal and PAT attempts; watches for penalties along the line of scrimmage.

• Back judge

Usually lining up on the tight end's side, the back judge is positioned 25 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield. The back judge keeps track of the play clock and all TV breaks, counts defensive players and focuses on tight ends and all the players on the end of the lines. Below are the back judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.

Run plays: Watches tight end for illegal blocking or defensive penalties.

Pass plays: Watches tight end for illegal use of hands or defensive interference; rules on whether a receiver made a legal catch; determines who recovered a fumble.

Special teams: Rules on fair catches; lines up under goal posts to rule on whether field goals and extra points are good.