PHOENIX (AP) — The NFL's competition committee approved a one-year rule for the upcoming season that would allow the replay center in New York to correct “clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game" in case of a work stoppage involving the NFL Referees Association.
It was one of multiple rules changes announced Tuesday at the league's annual meetings.
The league is moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions have told The Associated Press. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are private.
The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024. The current CBA expires May 31.
The NFL’s last foray into replacement officials ended in embarrassment for the league when a botched call and confusion in a prime-time game led to the end of a lockout that marred the first three weeks of the 2012 season.
Another rule change approved Tuesday allows the replay center in New York to consult with on-field officials when considering ejections for both flagrant football acts and non-football acts that weren't called on the field.
The change comes after Pittsburgh receiver DK Metcalf wasn’t ejected from a game at Detroit last season when he got into an altercation with a heckling fan. Because the on-field officials didn’t see when Metcalf swiped at the fan and so didn't throw a flag, the replay center was unable to eject Metcalf.
The league did suspend him for two games, but he was able to remain in the game at the time.
There were also three rules that affect kickoffs, including one that permits the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game, regardless of the score. Previously, only the trailing team could attempt an onside kick.
AP Pro Football Writers Rob Maaddi and Josh Dubow contributed to this story.
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FILE - Referee Clay Martin (19), far left, talks with the officiating crew during an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar, file)
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The European Union on Tuesday expressed concern over reports of violence during local elections in Serbia and called on President Aleksandar Vucic's authorities to hold to account those responsible.
The EU delegation in Serbia, a candidate nation for membership in the 27-nation bloc, cited findings of international monitors who said they had witnessed violence and irregularities during Sunday's balloting.
The vote, which took place in 10 towns, was seen as a test for populist leader Vucic following more than a year of youth-led street protests that have shaken his tight grip on power.
“We regret the number of reported irregularities and incidents during the elections, the uneven playing field, and note with concern reports of acts of violence against independent observers, citizens, representatives of political parties and media workers,” the EU said in a statement.
“We call on the competent national authorities to ensure swift and transparent follow up and to hold perpetrators accountable,” the statement added.
Vucic declared victory for his right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party in all 10 municipalities. The Serbian president led the campaign himself, seeking to reaffirm his party's dominance after the protests that first started in November 2024, triggered by a train station tragedy in the country’s north.
Election observers from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe said on Monday that while the voting itself was in line with regulations, they were “alarmed” by the situation outside the polling stations.
Observers “saw heated arguments and the threatening presence of large groups of people, often unidentified and sometimes masked," the group said.
The Serbian government didn't immediately answer requests for comment.
Several people were injured in the clashes in at least three towns, including students and journalists, who said they were attacked by organized pro-government supporters. Vucic has accused his political opponents of stirring unrest and said his supporters were attacked.
While he formally says he wants Serbia to join the EU, Vucic has been accused of clamping down on democratic freedoms as he nourishes close relations with Russia and China.
The youth-led protests over the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse that killed 16 people have posed the biggest challenge to Vucic's rule in over a decade. The authorities have since stepped up pressure on dissent, with hundreds of people reporting being detained by police or losing their jobs allegedly for supporting the student movement.
Separately, dozens of people blocked traffic on Tuesday outside the headquarters of the University of Belgrade in protest of a police raid. Authorities have said they were investigating the death of a student last week. Employees told local media they felt the raid was part of the ongoing pressure on the university following the student-led protests.
Both presidential and parliamentary elections are expected in Serbia late this year or next year. Support for Vucic is believed to have eroded, though mass protests have subsided in recent months.
People clash with Serbian police officers during a local election, in Crvenka, small town located in the municipality of Kula, Serbia, Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo)
