After 70,000 voicemails were left to various NFL offices, the NFL and NFLRA (Referee’s Association) last week agreed to a new, eight-year deal which took effect immediately.

Gordon Mcdonoegh, a physical education major from Bucks, suspected fans’ anger was probably the motivation for the deal when he said, “I think it was probably the fans, because the NFL worried that they would soon lose interest with all the bad penalties.”

With indisputably terrible calls nearly every game, the situation reached a boiling point in the Monday Night game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks won 14-12 on a last-second touchdown that was greatly contested.

Jamison native Austin Mcleod, a criminal justice major from Bucks, thought this was the deciding event that forced the agreement. “It was definitely the Monday night game, because that receiver from Seattle definitely did not have possession.”

A day later, the ruling by the NFL’s replacement refs—some of whom were deemed too porous to even officiate in the lingerie league—drew criticism from President Barack Obama, who tweeted: “NFL fans on both sides of the aisle hope the refs’ lockout is settled soon.”

What was ruled a touchdown by Seattle’s wide receiver Golden Tate was simultaneously ruled a touchback, meaning that Green Bay’s safety, M.D. Jennings, had caught the ball in the end zone. In the rules of the NFL, if both players catch the ball simultaneously the ball goes to the receiver.

”I can’t control what other people say or do. I personally felt like I had the ball at that time and looking back just off of what I remember I felt like I had the ball in my hands,” Tate told ESPN.

The call drew ire from many fans, with some top sports writers suggesting that Roger Goodell is a lame-duck NFL commissioner. Likewise, the call left Green Bay at 1-2, and while there are plenty of games left, the call could cost Green Bay a playoff berth.

NFL coaches have even boiled over, with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick being fined $50,000 for clearly shoving a ref trying to get the official’s attention after a controversial field goal call in Week Three’s Sunday Night game between his Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens.

Late last Wednesday night, however, the venomous reaction was enough, and the NFL decided to get back to the table with the Referee’s Association, settling on the longest deal for officials in NFL history.

Andrew Decolli, an undecided major from Warminster, seemed relieved when he said, “I think it’s good for the sport, and I think the replacement refs did as good as they could. Now there should not be as much debate over the officials calls.”

With help from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, a deal was reached so the officials could be back immediately in time for Sunday’s Week Four.

“The long-term future of our game requires that we seek improvement in every area, including officiating,” Commissioner Goodell told ABC News.

“This agreement supports long-term reforms that will make officiating better. The teams, players and fans want and deserve both consistency and quality in officiating.”

Some of the highlights of the new deal include the aforementioned eight-year deal, covering them until 2019, as well as a salary that starts at $149,000 and that will rise to $205,000 by 2019.

Beginning in 2013, the NFL will have the power to hire more officials on a year round basis, and the NFL will also have the right to keep officials for training, while determining the number of officials for the league.

The current pension plans for the refs currently ends in 2016, or if the official earns 20 year of service. Likewise, in 2017, retirement benefits will be provided for officials as well as those recently hired.

The reaction throughout the league has been overwhelmingly positive: “Welcome back REFS,” tweeted Bills’ running back C.J. Spiller.

In an interview with The Associated Press, referee Ed Hochuli stated “As you know, this has to be ratified and we know very little about it, but we’re excited to be back.