NFL players embracing referees return

GREEN BAY - With an agreement between the NFL and the referees union in place a sense of normalcy is returning to the Packers facility as they look to put the so called “Fail Mary” play behind them.

M.D. Jennings, one of the key figures in the play, isn’t overplaying the role the play played in the settlement.

“I wouldn't say that one play ended it,” said Jennings. “It was eventually going to end regardless so I'm not going to say that one play ended the lockout.”

While T.J. Lang, author of the most shared tweets ever, criticizing the refs and the NFL, is happy to have played whatever part he could

“I don't regret saying anything or coming out and standing up for my team or my teammates,” said Lang.

Like many in the locker room he’s just glad the regular officials are coming back.

“So thankfully a deal got done we're all happy about that,” said Lang.

Ryan Pickett is happy to see the regular officials back and thinks it will help eliminate some of the chippiness seen in the opening weeks as the replacement officials struggled at times to maintain control of the game.

Pickett talked about the adjustment, “The little things that you might could get away with the other officials you probably won't have the liberty to get away with it.”

While some teams appeared to take advantage of the replacement referees hesitancy to call certain penalties, Mike McCarthy encouraged his team to keep their integrity.

"We had a conversation about approaching the game differently you know as far as the rules and pushing the envelope and being aggressive. We chose not to,” McCarthy said during his press conference Thursday. “We felt it was important to continue to work at playing the game the right way."

The Packers offense will be happy to see the referees back as well. The high octane unit hasn't spent as much time in the end zone as expected this year and they hope have the regular officials back will help the offense find its rhythm.

T.J. Lang said the biggest difference will be the tempo that occasionally slowed to a crawl with the replacement officials.
 
“It definitely slowed the game down a little bit and we're a team that we like to speed it up on offense and try and get as many plays as possible.”

Wide receiver Jordy Nelson agreed that the normal referees will help the Packers offense find their footing.

“Hopefully just the fluidity of the game is back to normal,” said Nelson. “None of these long breaks of huddling up and talking, just back to normal football.”

Back to normal, this likely means a short honeymoon period before the players and coaches start questioning the calls once again.