La última incursión de la NFL en el uso de árbitros sustitutos terminó en una vergüenza para la liga, cuando una decisión mal tomada y una confusión casi cómica en un partido en horario estelar llevaron al fin de un cierre patronal que empañó las primeras tres semanas de la temporada 2012.

The NFL is hoping to avoid another “Fail Mary” situation. With the league and the referees union at an impasse, the NFL voted Tuesday to approve a one-year policy that would assist replacement refs to correct “ clear and obvious” missed calls during a game, Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein confirmed.

The league is on the verge of locking out its officials for the first time since 2012, when it used sub-standard replacement referees. It’s hoping to avoid similar chaos.

The NFL 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 told The Associated Press.

It’s still too early to bank on replacement refs returning to NFL fields this season as negotiations with the referees union remain stuck in the mud.