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
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?"
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
No eighth official in 2020
Throwback to 1986 – Jerry Markbreit’s only NFL ejection
While many television networks are continuing to re-air feature games with memorable performances, Football Zebras is going behind the stripes to highlight some throwback moments from NFL officials. Let's go back to November of 1986. Jerry Markbreit's crew was assigned a Bears-Packers game at Soldier Field in Chicago. The season before, the
COVID-19 forces a rushed offseason for NFL officials
The NFL officiating staff usually has a smooth and orderly start to its season. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic will throw monkey wrenches into that smooth and orderly start. No easing into the season The officiating "new year" starts on May 15. That's when the officials meet for a mini-clinic in New