Super Bowl LI

Officiating video: Blandino breaks down 3 Super Bowl LI calls

by Mark Schultz - 6

NFL senior vice president of officiating Dean Blandino broke down three calls from Super Bowl LI in his weekly video for the media. The first play is a potential pass/fumble with special forward fumble rule implications. The first play after the two-minute warning in the second quarter, there was a potential

Making the impossible call

by Mark Schultz - 2

Embed from Getty Images   Nothing compares to the speed of a NFL game. While I've never been on the field for one, I worked on the chain gang at a Division I NCAA game one level down from the pros. The speed at that level was dizzying. I can only imagine

6 officiating observations from Super Bowl LI

by Mark Schultz - 6

Embed from Getty Images   Well it finally happened. Overtime in the Super Bowl. For the first three quarters I didn't have much to write about for this article but boy, did the fourth quarter change that! In no particular order, here are the six officiating observations from Super Bowl LI. 1. Officials let

Super Bowl LI liveblog: Patriots vs. Falcons

by Football Zebras staff - 15

Follow us here and through the game for our live coverage of the calls and rules interpretations of Super Bowl LI from NRG Stadium in Houston. This will conclude our coverage of our eighth full season, and we have four new writers completing their first with us: Cam Filipe, Matt Holmquist, Patrick Weber,

Alternate officials, like playoffs, have expanded over time

by Mark Schultz - 2

They're happy but not satisfied. They'd rather be on the field, but don't want the circumstances happen that put them on the field. Who are they? The alternates. They are the three to five people assigned, ready to go into a playoff game should an on-field official get hurt or

Carl Cheffers is confirmed as referee for Super Bowl LI

by Ben Austro - 30

Football Zebras exclusive Carl Cheffers will be the referee heading the Super Bowl LI officiating staff on Feb. 5 in Houston. This was widely suspected, and the assignments were officially given to the crew today. This will be Cheffers' first Super Bowl assignment. Cheffers worked the Divisional Playoff game between the Steelers and Chiefs, and he threw the

Referee Carl Cheffers is likely to get Super Bowl nod

by Ben Austro - 16

Football Zebras analysis After narrowing the field down from four candidates to two, Football Zebras has learned that a clear front-runner has emerged for the referee of Super Bowl LI. [Update 1/18: Football Zebras has confirmed that all the officials listed below are assigned to the Super Bowl.] Carl Cheffers, according to multiple sources