The NFL and the NFL Referees Association came to an agreement Wednesday night, putting an end to a lockout that lasted through the first three weeks of the season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell temporarily lifted the lockout so the regular officials can work Thursday night's game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, airing on NFL Network. "You always have costs for the short term but you sometimes have to experience that to get to the right place in the long term. And that's sometimes a painful thing," Goodell said in a conference call with reporters Thursday. The lockout resulted in a number of on-field controversies and led to questions from players and the media about the replacement referees' ability to properly officiate games. Goodell addressed the fans' recent unrest during his conference call. "We are sorry to have to put our fans through that," Goodell said. "But in the short term, it's something you have to do to make sure you get the right type of agreement for the long term." The Seattle Seahawks' win over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night was one of the most talked-about games in recent NFL history, but Goodell dismissed the notion that the last-second play ruled a touchdown for Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate served as a tipping point for negotiations. "The Monday night game, I don't believe, we were in such intensive negotiations over the last three week," Goodell said. "It might have pushed the parties further along, but we were in intense negotiations. Source: NFL.com
