While the payrolls for NFL players get most of the limelight, the salaries for NFL officials get left in the shade. The officials work in environments where the slightest mistake can literally make all the difference to a season, and they're highly paid for those stakes.
Average NFL Salary
Salaries of referees in the National Football League are a hotly debated topic in light of the high-pressure scrutiny from teams, fans, and gamblers. Official figures for the pay scales are not publicly announced, but estimates provided suggest the two sides of the labor issue recently finalized an agreement to pay referees about $205,000 apiece. This contract expired in 2020 and led to a new contract which runs until 2026. Roughly, NFL referees now earn an estimated amount of close to $250,000 per year.
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How NFL Players InvestPay Structure and Game Earnings
It varies per game, with more experienced officials earning more. This is an estimated base salary with an additional bonus per game officiated. Furthermore, NFL officials do receive other fringe benefits, such as a quality pension plan. To provide background, this discussion will relate to coordinators of the officiating crew as there are a number of different positions in the league.
Per Game Pay
The pay a referee receives per game also depends on the experience level. Those who have less than two years in the league earn about $1,000 per game, while referees with two to five years make around $3,000. Highly experienced referees can earn about $10,000 per game. With an average salary of around $250,000 and up to 19 games in a season, this translates to about $13,000 per game, although not every referee officiates every matchup.
Highest Paid NFL Referees
The highest-paid NFL referee cannot be identified because of the pay structure's secrecy. Among the highest-paid is Walt Anderson, whose pay at the end of his career in 2019 was $250,000. The others are Brad Allen and Craig Wrolstad, who take home roughly the same amount.
With women refereeing now in the NFL, such as Sarah Thomas becoming the first woman to ever referee a playoff game, one immediately raises questions about how much they make. In the NFL, pay is based on experience; therefore, gender does not influence the payroll.
Super Bowl Pay
The pay for the Super Bowl is significantly more than any other game; it's estimated to range from $30,000 to $50,000 based on experience.
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