Big Ten Conference recruits women and minorities at spring event

The Big Ten Conference held a clinic in April and invited women and people of color to learn more about being an official in one of college football's biggest conferences. The focus of the clinic was to highlight efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion. https://www.footballzebras.com/2020/10/in-a-year-of-awakening-big-ten-fields-a-historic-officiating-crew/ Former NFL referee and current Big Ten

New book shows officiating is ‘A Tough Job Made Harder’

Review by Mark Schultz If you've followed Football Zebras for any length of time, you know that we break down football officiating and (hopefully) show you how difficult calling a football game is. Between interpreting complicated rules, avoiding getting run over by people twice their size, tuning out 50,000 people chanting

5 Super Bowl officiating odds and ends

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

Officially, beards are in this season

  Have you noticed something different with NFL officials this year? This year, NFL officials have been sporting facial hair and down judge Sarah Thomas is wearing her hair in a ponytail, out the back of an adjustable official's hat. (Up until this season, she wore her hair pinned up under

Should NFL officials be allowed to make commercials?

Commentary by Mark Schultz This past season, line judge Sarah Thomas, the first permanent female official in the NFL, was a spokesperson for Activia yogurt. The commercials told the inspiring story of her journey to the NFL and how she broke the glass ceiling for women to officiate in the pros. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLcrFzI0vlw Thomas

Sarah Thomas recovering from broken wrist

Embed from Getty Images   Line judge Sarah Thomas is recovering from a broken wrist sustained in a Week 16 collision (video) at Lambeau Field between the Packers and Vikings, Football Zebras sources have confirmed. The Vikings receiver came back on a passing route. The receiver caught the ball and was immediately contacted by the

Images of Week 1

Courtesy of team photographersClick on any image to open as a slideshow.Courtesy of Getty ImagesView image | gettyimages.comSarah Thomas makes history.View image | gettyimages.comLine Judge Gary Arthur acknowledges the crowd's applause as he leaves the field after being injured on a punt play. We wish Mr. Arthur a speedy recovery.View

NFL preparing to hire new officials

View image | gettyimages.com Commentary by Mark Schultz We are coming up on a critical few weeks in the NFL as vice president for officiating, Dean Blandino, will be hiring new officials, assigning positions, and beginning the orientation process for the new pro zebras. While 2014 saw a near-record number of retirements