View image | gettyimages.com Too many new(er) officials can make for a rocky season The 1990s were a time of upheaval for NFL officiating. Art McNally retired after a long career as the NFL officiating boss. Jerry Seeman succeeded McNally. Seeman was ready build on McNally’s work and that work included making an imprint…
Bill Leavy, an official in the NFL since 1995, wearing number 127, is stepping aside after 20 years to take a regional supervisor position, where he will observe other officials and grade their performance.
View image | gettyimages.com Commentary by Mark Schultz We are coming up on a critical few weeks in the NFL as vice president for officiating, Dean Blandino, will be hiring new officials, assigning positions, and beginning the orientation process for the new pro zebras. While 2014 saw a near-record number of retirements – forced or…
View image | gettyimages.com Veteran official retiring “on my own terms” Tom Stabile, whose NFL career spanned 20 years and includes a Super Bowl assignment, will retire after working the Pro Bowl. Stable, 68, told his local newspaper that he made the decision to retire “at mid-season so that I may retire on my own…
Possible staffing shortage could cause Week 17 shuffle The Week 9 Sunday Night Football game in Green Bay featured a very rare sight. Umpire Tony Michalek was pressed into duty as a line judge. Michalek, who worked as a line judge for a few seasons in the Big Ten Conference before moving to umpire, served…
#158811399 / gettyimages.com Football Zebras has learned from multiple sources that back judge Kurt Dornan has retired. He is now the 14th official to have left the NFL since last February’s Super Bowl. Dornan was listed on the final roster by the NFL back in June, attended the clinics in Dallas in July, and was…
No. 70 will never be worn again by an official The NFL made history this weekend at its officiating clinic in Dallas, as it announced that it will retire the number 70 jersey in honor of former NFL referee and supervisor of officials, Jerry Seeman. Seeman worked Super Bowls XXIII and XXV as a referee,…
The league announced that Mark Pellis has been hired to fill the vacancy left by the surprise retirement of Mike Carey, who left the field to become an officiating analyst for CBS Sports. He is the 13th college official hired by the NFL this offseason. Pellis comes to the NFL from the American Athletic Conference…
With 12 vacancies filled in the last few months, how will the NFL approach filling a 13th spot after the resignation of referee Mike Carey? The NFL could hire another official from college, persuade a recently retired official to come back for one more season, or they could go with 118 officials this year and…
Brad Allen is the first official in almost 50 years to be placed in the referee position in his first NFL season.