In a disappointing move, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will not have a game official on the final ballot. Art McNally, 95, a former referee and the head of officiating in the NFL from 1968 to 1990, was one of 10 individuals under consideration for the Hall last year. This
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)
2 officials successfully appeal offseason dismissal
Seven officials have opted out of the 2020 NFL season
Sideline assistants reduced in NFL’s preliminary covid-19 protocols
The NFL addressed a few preliminary coronavirus protocols regarding certain key sideline personnel that are managed by the officiating department under the umbrella term "gameday assistants." This includes clock operators and replay communicators and technicians. All GDAs are local employees and do not travel to other sites during the regular
More details on NFL contingency for 5-official crews emphasize passing game over line play
The NFL's coronavirus contingency plan of reducing officiating crews from 7 to 5 officials is taking shape, and it is apparent that the pro version of these plans will divert attention away from the interior linemen and focus more on the defensive secondary. The crew assignments posted here in June,
Prevent defense: NFL reviewing 5-man officiating mechanics in case of staffing shortages
Football Zebras exclusive In an offseason that began with discussions on adding an eighth official to the crew, the league is now planning on having less than a full crew available for its games due to the coronavirus pandemic. There are currently 119 officials, exactly the amount needed to staff 17 crews.
Washington retires team name that was once a factor in officiating assignments
http://gty.im/843486860 The NFL's Washington franchise has officially retired their team name, which will take effect when a new team name is decided. In use for 87 seasons, the name controversy also had a small effect on which officials worked which games. https://twitter.com/Redskins/status/1282661063943651328 Referee Mike Carey took issue with the team and requested to
NFL divides up leadership roles in the officiating department
Officiating administration has been undergoing a shift in the offseason, and the NFL announced its changes for management of the officiating department. Former referee Walt Anderson and former assistant coach Perry Fewell were previously announced as senior vice presidents in the officiating channel, but now there is a little more
Clock-draining fix to rules would not adequately address the glaring loophole
Scorecard of the 2020 owners videoconference meetings [live updates]
NFL owners are meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams to discuss many items for the 2020 season, including 9 rules proposals, 3 bylaws changes, and at least 4 policy resolutions. Football Zebras will be updating this post as information is reported on the status of individual agenda items. A brief summary of