The NFL officiating staff usually has a smooth and orderly start to its season. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic will throw monkey wrenches into that smooth and orderly start. No easing into the season The officiating "new year" starts on May 15. That's when the officials meet for a mini-clinic in New
Tag: officials hired
March is a big month for NFL officiating hopefuls
March is a big month on the NFL calendar as, traditionally, the NFL hires new officials. We already know of four retirements (Byron Boston, Mike Spanier, Jeff Rice and Walt Anderson) and the NFL is incentivizing several veterans to take the gold watch. So the retirement list may grow. Al Riveron, senior
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
NFL sends 4 officials north to call CFL games
Two rookie NFL officials, one member of the Officiating Development Program and one veteran NFL official have been working north this summer to call Canadian Football League games. This is the fourth year of the NFL-CFL Officiating Exchange Program. The NFL officials calling CFL games this year are: Side judge Keith Washington Rookie Jimmy
Former NFL players Jones and Killens talk about being rookie zebras
The NFL officiating season has begun, the NFL Network interviewed former pro players and rookie officials Nate Jones and Terry Killens. They and Al Riveron, senior vice president of officiating, joined the program Good Morning Football. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs8gJXxnMcg Jones and Killens are two of six new hires for 2019, and they join current
Candidates for white hat in 2019
NFL hires 24 full-time officials in second year of the program
The NFL has hired 24 officials as full-time NFL employees for the 2018 season. Last year there were 21 full-timers. Some full-time officials from last year are not full-time officials this year. Up until 2017, all NFL officials were designated at part-time employees and worked full-time jobs outside of football (see table
After unprecedented referee turnover, 4 officials will try out to get the next promotion
The NFL is giving four of its officials the chance to audition to be future referees, or white hats. Since there are so few opportunities for the NFL to see how prospective referees would handle the new position, these preseason tryouts are very important. The NFL will assign the four officials to one