Football Zebras

2021 conference championship odds and ends

2021 Conference Championships

by Mark Schultz - January 30, 2022January 30, 2022 21891

Here are some interesting officiating factoids to consider as we watch the NFC and AFC Championship games, lead by Bill Vinovich and Carl Cheffers (pictured above). For all statistics, we include on-field assignments, not alternate assignments. Pro Bowl assignments are also excluded. Congratulations to the first-timers! Congratulation to field judge Mearl Robinson

5 Super Bowl officiating odds and ends

by Mark Schultz - February 6, 2021February 7, 2021 16488

Let's dig down into the Super Bowl LV crew and see how it stacks up historically to Super Bowl officials. 1. Roster history In the 101-year history of the NFL, more than 1,100 people have officiated at least one NFL game. In 55 Super Bowls, there have been 366 officiating slots open. 206

4 Wild Card observations, 2019 post-season

by Mark Schultz - January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 59612

It was another memorable Wild Card weekend with two games going to overtime and several officiating observations. Here are four that stuck out to me. Alternates do more than spectate Give a gold star to Mark Steinkerchner for saving the crew on that crazy kickoff situation in Texas. Tony Corrente needed some

4 fouls on the play? It’s a team effort to help out the referee’s announcement

Mechanics

by Mark Schultz - August 12, 2019August 12, 2019 15579

https://streamable.com/oe3bo Referee Shawn Hochuli had to sort out and announce four fouls this past weekend, drawing praise and admiration. First of all, when there are multiple fouls, the crew gets together and makes sure they are clear with the proper enforcement before giving options to the teams. This can get quite difficult

6 officiating observations from Super Bowl LI

by Mark Schultz - February 7, 2017February 7, 2017 68063

Embed from Getty Images Â 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

Carl Cheffers heads Hall of Fame game crew

by Football Zebras staff - August 7, 2015August 7, 2015 14540

View image | gettyimages.com The fiftieth season of the Super Bowl era and the ninety-sixth in league history begins Sunday from the place where the seed was first planted -- Canton, Ohio. Culminating the enshrinement festivities of the 2015 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday will be the

Do Browns shoulder burden of avoiding touchback?

Calls
Week 1

by Ben Austro - September 7, 2014September 8, 2014 04032

Week 1: Browns at Steelers The Browns nearly pinned the Steelers down on the goal line with a fourth-quarter punt. It looks like the Browns were successful, but a touchback was ruled. Let's review the call. Once the ball is possessed by the kicking team, the ball is dead (unless the receiving

Chippy games can make officials look bad

by Mark Schultz - January 15, 2014January 19, 2014 43831

Cheffers' divisional playoff crew in a near no-win situation NFC Divisional Playoff: 49ers at Panthers The divisional playoff game last week between the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers was a frustrating game to watch through the eyes of an official as both teams were determined to use physical and emotional

Quick action saves penalty: Why 49ers’ 12-men 86’d when 89 exits huddle

by Ben Austro - January 14, 2014 13959

In a bizarre sequence leading to halftime, a 49ers incomplete pass from the 1-yard line to the corner of the end zone becomes a touchdown in replay, the coach is assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and the play actually should have started from the 6 because the 49ers had 12

And then there were 2: Who will wear the white hat at Super Bowl?

News

by Football Zebras staff - January 7, 2014January 7, 2014 64235

Now that the divisional playoff referee assignments have been determined by Football Zebras, we can now look at the potential crew chief for the Super Bowl. The NFL assigns its Super Bowl officiating staff to a second-round game to break up the gap between their Week 17 assignment and the