Back at it: NFL officials gathering in Dallas

It’s time. The NFL officials are gathering in Dallas for a weekend clinic as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Don’t look now, but the first preseason game is August 7, at the NFL Hall of Fame. And, no, we don’t know what crew is working it yet!

The officials gathered for a mini-clinic in May where they took fitness and agility drills, as well as being given a comprehensive physical. All officials passed.

This is the only time all season that the entire NFL officiating staff gathers to hear from their boss, Dean Blandino. The officials will have breakout sessions by position where trainers will lead discussion groups and teach the officials what the NFL expects mechanically out of each of them.

Blandino will also tutor the officials through video presentations. The clinic will conclude with the officials taking a proctored, closed-book rules test.

To mark the beginning of the officials’ preseason, NFL Football Operations posted a series of videos with referee John Hussey on game preparation:

Rigorous preparation puts the @NFL's 124 #officials in position to judge fouls correctly: https://t.co/EKzRpl5ddphttps://t.co/HjASG9qEYv

— Troy Vincent, Sr. (@TroyVincentSr) July 14, 2016

All @NFL officials know that resiliency and mental toughness is part of the game. Hear it in their own words:https://t.co/AzfzY40pTP

— Troy Vincent, Sr. (@TroyVincentSr) July 14, 2016