Referee Morelli with a pre-season chuckle on-mic

Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'NEk5yZLUS8lxYVmcrZJncQ',sig:'-oRE3cA9Vsuzq_etUoeXFrXZQtchVFAjpeKxLOP5ShA=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'614681652',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});   Sometimes a situation on the football field leaves everyone smiling--even the officials. Such a moment happened this weekend during the 49ers-Broncos pre-season game. There were a whopping five fouls on one punt play. As the officials reported to referee Pete Morelli, the absurdity of the

50 Super Bowl calls, Part 1: L to XLI

The Football Zebras staff -- with the assistance of our affiliated forum, Behind the Football Stripes -- has examined the Super Bowls of years past for the work of the officials who, in a given year, attain the honor of the best of the best. While every team competes for

When officials’ jobs are on the (goal) line

Officials, especially the line judge and head linesman, always work to get the forward progress spot. In order to do so, they are taught to trail the play by a few yards and then square up once the ball is dead. But, when a big progress spot is important, the

R Bill Leavy retires after 20 seasons

Football Zebras exclusive View image | gettyimages.com Football Zebras has learned from two sources that Bill Leavy, an official in the NFL since 1995, wearing number 127, is stepping aside after 20 years to take the northeastern regional supervisor position for the officiating department, where he will observe other officials and grade

Turnover margin: 10 NFL officials not returning in 2014

There will be at least 10 officials who will will not return to the field in 2014.  At the end of the season, five officials were confirmed to be retiring.  A few weeks later, Football Zebras was first to report that Ron Winter had retired. We now know that head linesman

R Ron Winter retires after 19 seasons

Football Zebras exclusive Football Zebras has learned that Ron Winter will not be returning for the 2014 season, according to several sources. Winter is the sixth official to retire at the conclusion of the 2013 season and the second from the referee position. Those six retiring officials all worked in the final

Despite calls for major change, NFL makes simple tweaks to replay

2014 rule changes The 2014 replay process is going to be much the same as the process from 2013; the changes being made to the system probably will barely register with most fans. There were too many hurdles to implementing a true centralized replay system, so a simple change will allow the