It is a simple procedure. The game can’t begin without it. Before any football game starts the referee has to decide who gets the ball first....
Embed from Getty Images  It can be fun and games for the officials, too … at the right time When you officiate, you have to...
View image | gettyimages.com The individual and collective psyche of NFL officials may be shaken after several rough games in the 2015 season. There are a...
 View image | gettyimages.com It’s 3rd-and-5. The quarterback is under center. The crowd is roaring. The quarterback barks hard and someone on the defensive line...
Officials, especially the line judge and head linesman, always work to get the forward progress spot. In order to do so, they are taught to trail...
Fortunately, most flagrant actions do not escape cameras The NFL most recently handed out two punishments for flagrant acts that were not flagged on the field. ...
#458307246 / gettyimages.com Rules allow defense to bring in late subs There was an interesting play in Week 9 that highlighted quick snap rules. In the...
 Preventative officiating happens every game and at every level and at every sport. It helps fans enjoy the game without a foul-fest.
One of the Week 2 highlights was a 102-yard kickoff return by C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills. What was hardly noticed on the play was...
Believe it or not, there is a science to making, throwing penalty flags Last week, back judge Todd Prukop became a mini-celebrity by throwing his penalty...
NFL looks for ‘efficient, accurate penalty enforcement’ I’ve joked about it before: when Terry McAulay is the referee of a game, when there is a penalty...
Rookie officials get their trial by fire at some point of their first season. Â Rookie back judge Dale Shaw faced his trial in a frigid Week...
Hurried mechanics increase the danger of officials making a mistake The two-minute offense has been in effect since the invention of the scoreboard clock. The no-huddle...
How NFL officials stay out of the way to preserve life and limb We’ve all seen it. Â For the fans it is a funny sight but...
Officials double check with each other on tight and routine calls NFL officials each have a specific area and specific player or players to watch during...
 Football is one of the most team-oriented games in the world. It is a joy to watch a team function on the field as a...
This season has seen three inadvertent whistles (IW) being blown by the officials, with the latest being this past week in the game between the Raiders...
You’ve seen it before; a sweep comes to the sideline and the ball carrier and several other players go crashing out of bounds while the chain...
The officials lost control of the Monday Night Football Game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Denver Broncos on one play. The breakdown happened with :02...
Any one of them can either do or not do something that saves the crew or kills the crew — either one. — former NFL referee Red...