Tuesday 22 August 2017 17:25, UK
The NFL are to appoint full-time game officials for the very first time.
The league will begin hiring between 21 and 24 full-time officials from among the current roster of 124 for the 2017 season.
The move to full-time officials is intended to improve the standard and consistency of officiating.
"We believe this is a great development for NFL officiating overall and ultimately the quality of our game," said NFL executive vice-president of football operations Troy Vincent.
"We share a common goal, which is to make our game as great as it can possibly be, and look forward to working together on this new effort."
Full-time officials will be hired at each of the seven officiating positions and may serve on each of the 17 officiating crews. They will work collaboratively with their assigned crews, the league officiating staff and the NFL's football-related committees during the off-season.
"NFL officials are always looking to improve, and we believe that additional time, particularly in the off-season, will be positive," said NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green.
"We're looking forward to working together with the league on this effort."
Follow the 2017-18 NFL season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/NFL also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL
The regular season of home and away matches run from September to December 2017, culminating in PlayOffs from January 6, 2018 and the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to determine the world champion.
