Tag: Steve Freeman

3 more officials retire, now totaling 6 this offseason

by Mark Schultz - 2

Three more NFL officials have retired from the field, making a total of six officials that have retired in the 2021 off-season. Previously, Bart Longson, Tom Symonette and Ruben Fowler retired. After this weekend's mini-clinic comes news that back judge Steve Freeman, back judge Tony Steratore, and line judge Gary Arthur

Back judge Steve Freeman leaves Week 3 game in Atlanta

by Mark Schultz - 0

Back judge Steve Freeman was hurt in Week 3 during the Saints-Falcons game in Atlanta. Freeman is normally on Alex Kemp's crew, but for this week he worked with Walt Anderson's crew in Atlanta and Anderson's normal back judge, Lee Dyer, worked on Kemp's crew. Freeman was hurt on a deep

Father’s Day crews

by Mark Schultz - 1

  One of the fun parts of being a dad is when a child wants to join the dad in an activity or hobby, or just wants to spend time together. I'm sure NFL officials are happy when their kids want to take up officiating. That happiness and pride, I'm sure,

Walt Anderson heads Hall of Fame game crew

by Ben Austro - 2

Walt Anderson will lead the officiating crew in tonight's Hall of Fame game (NBC/8 p.m. EDT). Typically, the Hall of Fame game crew is assembled from various crews. Officials are assigned visits to training camps to answer questions and work scrimmages, but today's officials did not have a training camp assignment

NFL hires five more officials

by Mark Schultz - 6

Four new hires have collegiate referee experience Football Zebras has learned the names of five more college officials hired by the NFL, and that there will be a total of eleven new officials in 2014. Alex Kemp, Brad Allen, Scott Novak, Bryan Neale and Brad Freeman have been hired by the NFL according

NFL grooming players on officiating ‘fast track’

by Ben Austro - 2

The NFL could soon see more former players become officials. The league is sending 14 former players and one active player to a pair of officiating clinics over the next three days. The first clinic is tomorrow, March 13. It is the league's Fast Track Clinic, run by the Football Officiating

6 observations from Super Bowl XLVIII

by Mark Schultz - 8

McAulay crew handles first dud Super Bowl in 10 years Well, this year's Super Bowl will not go down as a classic in terms of excitement, but the Seahawks' defensive performance will be talked about for a long time.  Peyton Manning's future and legacy (rightly or wrongly) will be hot topics

BJ Steve Freeman lock for Super Bowl?

by Ben Austro - 0

An observation by one of the members on our discussion board, Behind the Football Stripes. As long as the league office is following the previously established protocol, it seems that Freeman has the Super Bowl assignment at back judge. Post on behind the football stripesJan. 10 • russ said:It is also basically confirmed that

Referee assignments for Divisional round: Blakeman, Cheffers, McAulay, Morelli

by Ben Austro - 25

Updated Friday, Jan. 10 to include full crews Football Zebras has confirmed the officiating crews for the Divisional Playoffs. Officials are listed with their uniform number, years experience (including this season), the crew each official worked with in the regular season (by the referee's name), college, and outside occupation. All times are Eastern. Three

Kickoff 2013: The officials by the numbers

by Ben Austro - 2

Click the image to enlarge. It is time to kick off the new football season! Here are some numbers for all of the zebra watchers out there. Enjoy! Designed and researched by Ben Austro. Sources: NFL Record and Fact Book (2013, 2008, 2000); Pro-Football-Reference.com (Coleman, Freeman, McKinnely); Football Zebras, "Officiating crews for the