Officials are back: 2018 clinic begins in Dallas

Staff begins to arrive today for annual @NFL Officiating Clinic in Dallas pic.twitter.com/fCp9D8ikSr

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) July 11, 2018

The NFL officials are gathering in Dallas for a weekend clinic as they prepare for the upcoming season, which allows senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron to have his entire officiating staff together prior to the start of the preseason games in August. This is the first and only time all 121 of the league’s officials will be together to learn about new mechanics and discuss new rules for the new year.

The officials will take part in breakout sessions by position, where specially-designed discussions and workshops will take place for things to look for in 2018. Among these, which will be the primary focus this weekend, include the new rules that define a catch, the changes to the kickoff, and the new rule that makes lowering of the head to initiate contact with the helmet a foul, which can now include disqualification.

The officials gathered for a smaller clinic in May by region where they partook in fitness drills, as well as being given a lengthy and detailed physical. This weekend, Riveron will also go through video presentations with the officials, and will conclude with a proctored, closed-book rules test.

The first game of the preseason is August 2 at the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The new NFL season is upon us!