Report: Big 12 Conference, NFL enter strategic partnership to improve officiating, technology, more

The NFL and the Big 12 Conference are joining forces in a fascinating new strategic partnership designed to strengthen officiating. The agreement, announced Friday, represents one of the more significant collaborations between a college conference and the NFL to date.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero detailed the initiative. He noted it places a major emphasis on officiating development, an area both leagues have been eager to modernize.

“The NFL and the Big 12 Conference are entering into a new strategic partnership, working side by side on officiating development, global football initiatives, emerging technology, analytics and flag football expansion, with a goal of growing the game for generations to come,” Pelissero reported. 

“The focus on officiating is notable: Big 12 officials will gain access to NFL clinics, weekly teaching tapes and advanced accountability tools. Joint training and evaluation programs will expand, and both organizations will collaborate to identify officials with pro potential.”

In addition to officiating upgrades, the deal will look to strengthen football’s international footprint and help both organizations explore emerging technology and analytics that could influence how the sport is played and taught. The partnership also includes initiatives to support the rapidly growing flag football movement, which is set to take on an even larger global presence ahead of its Olympic debut.

For the Big 12, the collaboration provides unprecedented access to NFL-level instruction and infrastructure while positioning the conference as a leader in officiating advancement. For the NFL, it creates a more unified development pipeline and a testing ground for innovation at the collegiate level.

Both sides seem to view the partnership as a long-term investment in the sport’s future, one that could shape how football is officiated, taught and experienced for years to come. It’s certainly become something that fans want to be addressed at all levels of football, as more is expected out of officiating crews than ever.

Moreover, it’s a perfect time to drop this news, as both the Big 12 and the NFL are gearing up for massive weekends. The Big 12 Championship Game is one of the more anticipated in recent memory for the conference, as both Texas Tech and BYU have a chance to make the College Football Playoff in 2025.

Meanwhile, the NFL enters a pivotal weekend in Week 14, with multiple playoff contenders facing off throughout the league. Now, both the Big 12 and the NFL have something else to champion, with the future of officiating and more taking on a new life.