NFL Ends Lockout, Hires Back Referees

When the replacement NFL referees blew a game-deciding call in this week's Monday Night Football matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks, there was one refrain that you heard on repeat on ESPN: it would not have any bearing on the negotiations to end the lockout between the refs and the NFL.

Well, so much for that.

About 48 hours later, the NFL, the referees and their union have reached an agreement to end the lockout and get the referees back to work. Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement on the matter: "Our officials will be back on the field starting tomorrow night. We appreciate the commitment of the NFLRA in working through the issues to reach this important agreement."

One would have to assume that the MNF debacle was a major factor in putting pressure on the NFL to reach a settlement: the blown call occurred at the end of a high-profile game and showed miscommunication and confusion among the replacement referees, who missed a penalty call before calling a game-winning touchdown on a play that many (especially Packers fans) argue was an interception.

So from here on in, starting with Thursday night's game, it sounds like the players and fans will have to go back to blaming the regular ol' refs for missing obvious calls.