Due to a labor dispute between the NFL and its game officials, the 2012 season could begin with replacement officials from the college ranks and elsewhere while the league's tenured officials are locked out.
In the Cowboys' training opening camp press conference on Sunday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones assured the media that he was not concerned about the situation. Jones is an influential force among the owners when it comes to league business dealings.
"Everyone is going to have the same quality of officiating," Jones said. "We feel very strongly as a league and as a team that we will have very high quality officiating that won't put our players in danger or create an unfair game."
Jones also pointed out that the labor dispute between the officials and the league, while important, is of much less concern than the labor dispute between the players and owners that occurred last offseason. While that work stoppage was settled in time, the 2011 season was thought to be serious jeopardy for months.
"Unlike last year," Jones said, "we know that we'll have football this season."
