When I wrote a recap of the 2020 season, I closed my column by saying "may we never again have another like it." This season, covid-19 is still with us, but for the officials, it will not be a repeat of 2020. Vaccines The NFL reported that 99% of its employees have been
Tag: COVID-19
3 NFL officials have retired so far
Retiring officials sometimes leave their shoes on the field after their last game. Football Zebras has learned that officials Ruben Fowler, Tom Symonette and Bart Longson will not return to the National Football League in the 2021 season. Typically, the NFL does not announce why an official leaves the league, although
With a thin bench, the NFL hopes to have full crews for the final weeks of the season
NBC garbles Carl Cheffers penalty announcements to prevent profanity from airing
Officials can now flag coaches for not wearing a mask
The NFL has given officials the authority to penalize coaches who "approach them in an innappropriate way" without a face covering, 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. This follows a Week 3 complaint by the NFL Referees Association that Baltimore Ravens coach, John Harbaugh, pulled his mask down and got in line
Report: NFL officials union complains about Harbaugh covid-19 violation during sideline argument
The NFL Referees Association, the officials' union, has reportedly complained to the NFL that Ravens coach John Harbuaugh pulled his mask down and violated social distancing guidelines to argue with line judge Mark Steinkerchner during the Week 3 Monday Night Football game against the Kansas City Chiefs. https://streamable.com/14e88v According to a report
Electronic whistles too quiet for stand-alone option
Al Riveron back at work after recovering from covid-19
Al Riveron, senior vice president, in charge of centralized replay on game day, missed Week 1 due to covid-19. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Riveron is back in the Art McNally Game Day Center for today's games. Russell Yurk, vice president of replay, and three assistants were handling replay challenges in Week 1. We
6 officiating things I’m watching in the 2020 NFL season
It's here. I never thought it would get here. Despite the 2020 covid-19 pandemic, we will start the 2020 NFL season Thursday. Here is what I'm looking for as I zebra-watch this season. 1. What will the officials do to protect themselves? I have already stated my concerns about how officials can properly
NFL officials have until August 13 to opt out of season
The NFL and the NFL Referees Association, the officials' union, have negotiated the working conditions for the 2020 season. The NFLRA leadership will meet with rank-and-file members on Monday to discuss the details of the agreement. According to a news release, the officials have until August 13 to decide if they will