One of the most highly criticized aspects of the 2025-2026 NFL season was the officiating. It felt like every week there was a game that came down to the wire, and a controversial call sent social media into a tizzy.
A big complaint about officials in the NFL is that they aren't professional referees. The vast majority of officials that you see on gameday have full-time jobs. Fans have been calling for referee reform for years, and one of the most popular ideas has been to ensure that the referees are full-time and don't use the NFL as a part-time gig.
While many referees have other jobs throughout the year, when you look at how much they make, you could easily argue that they should be full-time with the NFL.
Here is more on how much NFL refs and officials are making in 2026.
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NFL referee salary 2026
The NFL does not release the exact salaries of referees and officials. The latest Collective Bargaining Agreement suggested the average NFL referee earns approximately $205,000 per season. Assuming they are selected for a game per week, that would average out to $11,400 per regular-season game.
The referee and official salaries will be a point of contention in the upcoming offseason. The NFL Referees Association agreed to a seven-year deal with the league in 2019, and it expires on May 31, 2026. This means that the NFL and Referee Association will have to agree on new terms ahead of the 2026 regular season.
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How much do NFL referees make to work the playoffs?
The NFL pays referees separately for the playoffs. Being selected for the postseason is merit-based, and not all 17 of the crews hired for the season will be assigned to a playoff game.
Again, exact figures are not available, but the best guess is that the referees make about $3,000 to $5,000 per game. Being the head referee for the Super Bowl comes with a hefty bonus of between $30,000 and $50,000, per SI.
Is refereeing in the NFL a full-time job?
NFL referees and officials are eligible to receive a 401(k). Still, it is rare that being a referee is an official's full-time job. According to Football Zebras, there were 155 officials hired for the 2025-2026 season. 130 of them have another occupation.