NFL officials ended their labor dispute with the league by approving a new eight-year contract with a 112-5 vote Saturday, then hustled off to the airport to get to work.
Next stop, stadiums around the country.
And, the officials hope, anonymity.
“The last Super Bowl that I worked, when we got in the locker room, I said, ‘You know, the best thing about this game, nobody will remember who refereed this game,’” said Scott Green, president of the referees’ association. “That’s how we like to work.”
The vote ended a labor spat that created three weeks of increasingly chaotic games.
“It was pretty much ‘Come on in and vote,’” Green said. “We’re going to talk football now. We’re going to stop talking about CBAs and lockouts and now we’re going to talk about rules and video and getting ourselves ready to work football games.”
FORTE UP IN AIR
Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte is questionable for the Bears’ game Monday night at Dallas because of a sprained right ankle.
Forte practiced on a limited basis this week after sitting out a win over St. Louis. He was injured in a loss at Green Bay on Sept. 13 and left that game.
The Bears also listed receiver Earl Bennett (hand) as questionable and ruled out fullback Evan Rodriguez (knee).
EXTRA POINTS
The Giants will be without wide receiver Hakeem Nicks against the Eagles. The team announced that Nicks will miss the contest because of a knee problem and will not make the trip to Philadelphia. He previously missed a Sept. 19 win over Carolina with a sore foot. … Broncos safety Quinton Carter needs another surgery on his left knee and is done for the season. Denver placed him on injured reserve. … The Patriots signed offensive lineman Matt Tennant, who was with the team earlier in September after being cut by the Saints near the end of training camp. … Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey and tight end Richard Gordon will miss the game in Denver with injuries. Heyward-Bey did not practice all week as he recovered from a helmet-to-helmet hit that sent him to the hospital with a concussion and strained neck. Gordon had been listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. … The Chargers signed kicker Nick Novak to replace Nate Kaeding for today’s game at Kansas City. Kaeding hurt his groin in practice Friday.
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