The NFL has canceled the preseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many wonder how the players will get ready for the regular season, there has to be some concern as to how the NFL's officials will react to no preseason games. The last time NFL officials didn't have a preseason was
Author: Mark Schultz
Mark Schultz is a high school football official, freelance writer and journalist. He first became interested in officiating when he was six years old, was watching a NFL game with his father and asked the fateful question, "Dad, what are those guys in the striped shirts doing?"
Socially distant officiating: Just how is this going to work?
Throwback to the finest officiating sequence I’ve ever seen
I remember several post-season classic games and the officiating that goes with such games. It is hard after a year or two for me to remember a classic regular-season game where the officiating actually enhanced the quality of the contest. But, there is one regular-season game that I remember almost 26-years
Throwback to one of the most annoying rules to officiate: the crowd noise rule
Big turnover with Big 12 referees
The Big 12 Conference features exciting, up-tempo college football with teams in the national championship hunt almost every season. The conference needs good officials -- especially good referees. Greg Burks, supervisor of officials, had a big challenge this offseason. He had to replace four referees. Cooper Castleberry (19 years), Mike Defee (14
Throwback to 2007 – Warren Sapp melts down and is ejected by Jerome Boger’s crew
On December 23, 2007, Jerome Boger's crew allowed Warren Sapp to beat the traffic to the mall and get his Christmas shopping done early. In a bizarre sequence of events, Sapp totally lost his composure, the Oakland Raiders were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct four times, with three of the fouls assigned
Throwback to 1986 – Pat Haggerty oversees a preseason brawl
Throwback to officials and coaches mic’d up
College football referee Mike Defee takes position in NFL front office
Big 12 referee Mike Defee, who has officiated every major bowl game, and who gained fame during the 2017 College Football National Championship game, is retiring from active officiating to take a position in the NFL front office. Defee's new job is to coach current NFL officials, specifically focusing on the
