After taking a preseason off from experimenting with new officiating positions, the NFL will once again look at ways to add an eighth official on the field. Since 2010, there have been various experiments in preseason games with different mechanics for an extra official. At the beginning of the decade, the
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)
Walt Anderson heads the officiating crew in the first game of the 100th NFL season
The 100th season in NFL history begins Aug. 1, just three miles from the location of the first league meeting at a Hupmobile dealership in downtown Canton, Ohio. During that meeting on Sept. 17, 1920, the American Professional Football Association was formed with the current Cardinals and Bears franchises and
NFL ending full-time status for select officials
The NFL has backed away from its full-time officiating program, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. Citing multiple sources, Seifert says that negotiations between the league and the NFL Referees Association have broken down over the full-time arrangement. The full-time program was approved on an ad-hoc basis in 2017 and 2018. The full-time
Scorecard of the 2019 NFL Spring Meeting
Below are the items under consideration by the owners at their 2019 Spring Meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla. Playing rules Modify overtime to use the opening coin toss to determine overtime options, ensure possession by both teams, and eliminate in preseason -- TABLED to next year, after being tabled from March Via
Owners allow Competition Committee to tinker with pass-interference reviewable rule
NFL owners gave authority to the Competition Committee to revise the rule it passed in March allowing offensive and defensive pass interference to be subject to coach's challenges or replay official reviews. The approval gives the ability for the final rule to be changed with certain limitations. The ownership's rule change
NFL officiating patriarch and ‘godfather of officials’ Carl Paganelli dies
Carl Paganelli, 1937-2019 Carl Paganelli Sr., a highly respected college and pro official, an officiating administrator, and a mentor, has died at the age of 82. You never saw him on an NFL field, but his presence there is unmistakable. His three sons, umpire Carl Jr. and back judges Perry and Dino,
2019 officiating season underway with 6 new officials and 3 new referees
Documentary shadows 3 women officiating on ‘Her Turf’
To be the focus of attention in officiating is often seen as a curse, but a new documentary short spotlights three women who have worked to not only succeed, but also thrive, while wearing the stripes. Director Shantel Hansen spoke to Football Zebras about her first film, Her Turf, which premieres at
NFL is looking for one more referee
Title game defeat turned rules-making win vaults Sean Payton to powerbroker
There was a pretty significant foreshock in the league when the NFC Championship Game ended with Greg Zuerlein's overtime kick splitting the uprights 57 yards away, ending the Saints season right there. It was the start of a seismic shift in influence. The Saints coach was rightfully angry when he addressed