Two rookie NFL officials, one member of the Officiating Development Program and one veteran NFL official have been working north this summer to call Canadian Football League games. This is the fourth year of the NFL-CFL Officiating Exchange Program. The NFL officials calling CFL games this year are: Side judge Keith Washington Rookie Jimmy
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?"
Former NFL players Jones and Killens talk about being rookie zebras
The NFL officiating season has begun, the NFL Network interviewed former pro players and rookie officials Nate Jones and Terry Killens. They and Al Riveron, senior vice president of officiating, joined the program Good Morning Football. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs8gJXxnMcg Jones and Killens are two of six new hires for 2019, and they join current
NFL Referees Association honors 5-time Super Bowl umpire Ron Botchan
The NFL Referees Association (NFLRA), the union representing NFL officials, recently honored retired umpire Ron Botchan with the 2019 Honoree Award. The award recognizes an official for on-field accomplishments and support of the NFLRA. “Ron exemplifies everything NFL officials strive to be,” said NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green in a news
Dick Dolack, Super Bowl IX field judge, passes away
John Parry, Super Bowl LIII referee, retires
Second straight year for Super Bowl referee to retire John Parry, a three-time Super Bowl official and referee for Super Bowl LIII, has retired. Update: Parry has joined ESPN as the Monday Night Football rules analyst. http://www.footballzebras.com/2019/04/john-parry-to-become-new-espn-rules-analyst/ This marks seven referee retirements in the last two seasons. Walt Coleman and Pete Morelli retired
More Pac-12 officiating controversy: 3 retired officials blast officiating leadership
Three recently retired Pac-12 Conference officials, who have on field and instant replay experience, made public a letter excoriating the Pac-12 overall and their officiating leadership. Officials Fred Gallagher, Mack Gilchrist, and Chuck Czubin wrote the letter to commissioner Larry Scott, and director of officiating David Coleman. The three officials retired
NFL brass getting behind push to add sky judge
Expect talks to get serious later this month about the NFL adding an eighth official to the crew...but this official will be in a suit and tie instead of a striped shirt. https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/1101533229197262848 The Alliance of American Football employs a sky judge. This official steps in to correct obvious officiating mistakes in
Happy 90th birthday, Jim Tunney!
No momentum for big instant replay rule changes
In light of one of the most controversial judgement calls in recent playoff memory, fans, pundits, players, owners and coaches called for NFL instant replay to step in and correct judgement calls. Right now, the only judgement call instant replay can check is 12-men on the field. Instant replay cannot help
Red Cashion, 2-time Super Bowl referee, dies at age 87
Mason L. "Red" Cashion Jr., 1931-2019 Red Cashion, perhaps one of the most recognizable NFL referees in the 1980s and '90s and who delighted millions with his enthusiastic "First dowwwwn" call, passed away Sunday at the age of 87, according to a report from The Eagle of Bryan, Texas. Cashion worked 25 seasons