After punting the issue at the annual meeting in March, NFL owners passed a resolution to prevent players from protesting on the field during the National Anthem. In deference to the reader's intelligence, I will forego summarizing how we got to this point. Decisions will be left up to the team as
Author: Ben Austro
Ben Austro is the editor and founder of Football Zebras and the author of So You Think You Know Football?: The Armchair Ref's Guide to the Official Rules (on sale now)
Scorecard of the 2018 NFL Spring Meeting
Helmet rule heads into 2018 without further revision
Chronology of kickoff rules changes
The kickoff has gone through many changes over the years. Below is a chronology of revisions to the kickoff rules since 1932 when the NFL adopted its own rulebook separate from college. The 2018 rules that are indicated with an asterisk were passed for the 2018 season only. Contact 1945 Dead ball when
In a bizarre turn, Blandino to intermittently run national college replay
Dean Blandino, former senior vice president of officiating for the NFL, was named national director of instant replay for college football, confirming a Football Zebras report last month. This position was created by College Football Officiating in 2016, and Blandino will be replacing the first person to hold the position, Jim Blackwood.
More vacancies on the NFL officiating roster are reportedly on the way
http://gty.im/183962709 The revolving door in the NFL officiating department appears to still be in motion. Football Zebras has learned from multiple sources that field judge Jon Lucivansky will not return in the 2018 season. Lucivansky just finished his ninth season, but he has been in a bit of a playoff drought; the
Walt Anderson resigns as head of Big 12 officiating
NFL referee Walt Anderson has resigned from the Big 12 conference as supervisor of officials. Covering the conference's spring meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the Dallas Morning News, Chuck Carlton reported that commissioner Bob Bowlsby made the announcement Wednesday. Football Zebras contacted Anderson, but he declined to comment. https://twitter.com/ChuckCarltonDMN/status/991763372449267713?tfw_creator=dwstraka49&tfw_site=Diehards&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.diehards.com%2Fbig-12%2Fbig-12-supervisor-football-officials-walt-anderson-resignation Anderson was one of 21
7 officials have retired from the NFL
The NFL Referees Association confirmed that seven officials are retiring this season. Referees Ed Hochuli and Jeff Triplette have previously announced their intention to retire. Yrs 2017 crew College Occupation R 42 Jeff Triplette 22 Wake Forest restructuring consultant R 85 Ed Hochuli 28 Texas-El Paso attorney DJ 37 Jim Howey 19 (swing) Erskine College director of adult education DJ 123 Ed Walker 4 Hussey San Jose State real estate management FJ 82 Buddy Horton 19 Corrente Oregon State water service worker SJ 125 Laird Hayes 23 Anderson Princeton physical education and athletics In addition,
Rules fix comes with a catch
This post has been updated to reflect the release of the proposal wording. The NFL's Competition Committee is weighing in on several rules changes which will be presented to the owners at the annual meeting next week. The full text of the proposals were released Thursday night. The rules proposals require
Referee Ed Hochuli is ending his 28-year NFL career
http://gty.im/502366360 http://gty.im/495274580 Ed Hochuli, the most recognizable officiating figure, bar none, to mainstream fans in NFL history, has decided to retire. Senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron confirmed on his new Twitter feed that Hochuli, along with Jeff Triplette, will not be returning for the 2018 season -- something which had