10 NFL officials are calling their first ever playoff game on the field this weekend. Three of those officials have a playoff game in their first year eligible for the postseason. The following officials are working on the field for the first time. In parentheses are prior alternate or Pro Bowl
Tag: Don Willard
How the NFL grooms an official for the referee position
3 officials to audition for referee
Three NFL officials will audition this preseason for future referee openings. Deep judges Jonah Monroe, Land Clark, and Don Willard will work all or part of a game at the referee position with a regular referee and other NFL observers watching their performance. The NFL used to send potential referees to
Candidates for white hat in 2019
NFL has several options for Steratore’s replacement
NFL and CFL continue officiating partnership
http://gty.im/641513974 The Canadian Football League and the NFL will continue to exchange officials in the early part of the CFL season and the NFL preseason. This is the third year of the NFL-CFL officiating exchange program. NFL officials will go north of the border in the summer and call games in the first
5 officiating observations from 2017
With just one more game left this season, here are five officiating observations I noticed in the last six months of football. Too many ejections This year, NFL officials gave the hook to 20 players for fighting, a flagrant personal foul or for contact against an official. This is not because officials are
NCAA referee with the announcement of the year
Big 10 referee and Officiating Development Program official Don Willard made a mistake Saturday. He faced the wrong way when announcing a foul. It can happen. It has happened to the best, many times. But, the way he handled himself with a live microphone places him into nomination for referee announcement of
Senior Bowl helps evaluate officiating talent, too
The Senior Bowl provides an opportunity for scouts to evaluate potential talent for the upcoming draft in a game played largely under NFL rules. The NFL officiating department also uses this as an opportunity to evaluate potential new officials as well. Since the demise of NFL Europe, the league has lost
More officials in the development pipeline, as NFL expands training program
Embed from Getty Images 29 individuals take part in on-field audition This year, the NFL has accepted 29 developmental officials in its annual preseason training program, up from the 21 slots open in the previous three seasons the program has been run. This practice squad for officials was known as the advanced