EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Sept. 6, 2006) -- Without fanfare, the NFL and its officials have reached agreement on a six-year contract extension, avoiding the kind of labor squabble that led to a two-week lockout five years ago.
Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the agreement during a meeting with reporters at Giants Stadium. It is subject to ratification by the officials.
The NFL did not release the terms of the agreement. It extends through 2012; the current deal was to expire after this season.
In 2001, the officials, part-timers, were locked out for two weeks, missing the final week of preseason and the first week of the regular season. They agreed to a 50 percent pay increase after the league postponed Week 2 of the season following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 that year.
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