Embed from Getty Images The NFL has always sought to make nearly every play both competitive for the players and exciting for the fans. When it comes to the kicking game, extra point kicks have been moved back to reduce the accuracy percentage from the high 99s. Embracing new technology in football, NFL spokesman Michael…
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…
View image | gettyimages.com Referee Pete Morelli will be presented with the annual Art McNally award at this Sunday’s Pro Bowl. The Art McNally Award is named after the former head of officiating from 1968 to 1990, and recognizes an official for “exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field.” The…
Former field judge Al Jury is being honored by the NFL with the Art McNally Award for his distinguished officiating career. He will be formally presented with the award by the outgoing executive vice president of football operations, Ray Anderson, in a ceremony prior to the Pro Bowl in Honolulu. Jury has been in the…
The Pro Bowl will undergo radical changes this season in an attempt to add variety to a typically dull game. The league, based on their promotional spots for the game, would like us to highlight the fact that this game is “unconferenced.” The NFL Network carried a live draft of the all-star pool to set…
7 known suspensions of officials for on-field incidents The NFL rarely has suspended officials for their conduct on the field, although it is possible that some may have occurred without public knowledge. Also, there are two known cases of officials (not included here) who were originally assigned to the Super Bowl and had that assignment…
The veteran side judge reflects on his 24-year career Don Carlsen woke up one day this past October and made one of the toughest calls of his career. He decided to retire from the NFL after a 24-year career as line judge and side judge. Carlsen’s last on-field assignment was the Pro Bowl in January. …
In order to minimize injuries, the Pro Bowl plays modified rules that protect the players. Basically, pass rushes are shut down, and standard formations are used. A summary of the rule modifications from the league’s Record and Fact Book: The offensive formations must have a tight end and have no more than two receivers on…