I didn't know NFL refs made so much for a part time gig:
"NFL officials make an average of $149,000 per year, and the league has suggested annual 7 percent increases that would raise the regular salary to $189,000..."
Here's an interesting article, with some points I didn't realize:
The NFL Fiasco: Why Referees Are Like Chicago Teachers - Businessweek
A less talked-about, but equally contentious, issue is pay for performance.
The NFL wants to increase the number of officials to 141, creating a bench of trained referees who could be brought in to give other referees a break, but also to replace those referees who the league feels have been blowing calls.
A league spokesman said, “If a guy is underperforming, we could take a guy and sit him down for a while and bring someone else up.”