NFL officiating is broken. How do we fix it?

[Orlando Buffalo]

Two biggest issues to me- most officials are over 50 by the time they start and are only going to go down hill, only physically fit people should be allowed to be be NFL officials on the field. Secondly the NFL does not use technology to help. They should only have 4 officials on the field and 4 others in the booth. They separate jobs better this way and the on field guys only are looking for 5 things vs 25. All facemasks and safety issues calls are done in booth, all opinion calls happening field. 

[Section27]

-full-time refs

-need data and review

-3 refs review the calls in every game

-identify calls not made that should have

-review penalty calls - made correctly or not

-if all 3 agree, then correct

-if not, reviewed by review committee

-zoom call of all nfs offficials

-data for correct calls are made, sample of correct calls reviewed

-calls with disagreements reviewed. discussion of why correct takes place

-this is the only way to get refs to develop consistency. work towards everyone approaching calls with the same criteria

[todd]

10 hours ago, Simon said:

 

#1 - All officials start the game with three flags. If they have no flags at the end of the game, they don't get paid.

 

#2- Officials have proximity sensors that detect other officials. If they come within 10 feet of each other for more than 5 seconds, they get shocked.

 

#3- All stadiums have a replay room with multiple interactive screens. Every game will have one person in this room with a cooler of beer (in vino veritas) that can overturn scoring plays, turnovers, sideline calls and completions. If the person in the booth cannot find a reason to turn the play over before the ball is snapped for the next play, then the game goes on with no further interruptions. There will be no more nonsense about officials viewing hooded screens on sidelines or stopping the game at any time to pore over the minutia of a call. If it can't be decided in 30 seconds, the call on the field stands.

 

#4- All fans that whine about officiating will now be given a straw. So they can suck it the **** up.

 

I getit, and I understand your point and can't really disagree. But on the other hand, the NFL has the money and the technology exists to make officiating PERFECT. Why in the world would we not want perfect officiating? 

[billsfanmiamioh]

A few deep so not going to read through the whole thread, but It’s by design. It’s how the league can sway desired outcomes. Don't shoot the messenger! 

[US Egg]

10 minutes ago, billsfanmiamioh said:

It’s how the league can sway desired outcomes. Don't shoot the messenger! 

What about tase?

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Never fear, AI is near! 😂🙌
 

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2024/06/05/ai-referee-in-sports/

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

-Full time refs

-younger guys, athletes, former football players 

 

-call way less penalties. Other then procedural penalties or dead obviously calls <5 flags a game

 

- eye in the sky full time 

 

-change pass interference. There is absolutely no reason for the defender to have to turn around…zero. He’s already beat. Wtf Is he then looking the opposite way while he catches up 

 

-let them play 

Edited Saturday at 04:47 AM by Brianmoorman4jesus

[Buffalo_Stampede]

The only answer is using replay within the flow of the game. Replay is why this thread was made, replay is the fix.

 

No coaching challenges! Hate those with a passion.

 

This is actually a very easy fix. BUT imagine the anger when the announcer says NO FLAGS ON THE FIELD, then the replay happens and a flag is thrown. UGH. Not all the sky judge calls will be correct either. 
 

It’s going to suck either way, just a little less.  Could actually suck more if we allow the sky judge to actually throw a flag that wasn’t called. Maybe just use them to reverse bad calls made on the field. OR limit the calls they can make to face mask calls, which seem to be the most controversial missed calls because they are pretty easy to spot on replays.

Edited Saturday at 04:56 AM by Buffalo_Stampede

[BillsShredder83]

12 hours ago, Logic said:

It seems like bad calls by NFL officials become a bigger story every year. Far too many big games are decided by awful calls and non-calls, and it's diminishing the product and alienating the fans.

In my estimation, the biggest problem is that the NFL absolutely refuses to have full time officials. For a sport this big, which makes this much money, and which sees so much money wagered on it by the betting public, to NOT have full time officials, seems inexcusable to me. 

There is also no real accountability for egregious mistakes, and there needs to be.

I think the Tweet below proposes some logical solutions, but I'd love to hear everyone else's opinions on it, because I'm sick to death of this god awful officiating week in and week out.

 

 

Watch college.

(NFL = Bills only)

 

....SOLVED

[nedboy7]

Why make the product any better.  Look at us suckers.  Can’t get enough of this rigged garbage.  Excited for Sunday!  
 

Edited Saturday at 07:14 AM by nedboy7

[finn]

The problem is likely not getting worse; it's just that instant replay has gotten a lot better, so the viewers see things they didn't see decades ago.

 

That said, I still find it baffling the league doesn't implement the solutions people are mentioning here. The Competition Committee tweaks rules every off season, why not look at how referees are hired, trained, paid, evaluated, and, in the game itself, overruled when they make egregious errors? 

[Billsatlastin2018]

11 hours ago, Orlando Buffalo said:

Two biggest issues to me- most officials are over 50 by the time they start and are only going to go down hill, only physically fit people should be allowed to be be NFL officials on the field. Secondly the NFL does not use technology to help. They should only have 4 officials on the field and 4 others in the booth. They separate jobs better this way and the on field guys only are looking for 5 things vs 25. All facemasks and safety issues calls are done in booth, all opinion calls happening field. 

I said something similar to WGR… TWENTY YEARS AGO!

 

1) Refs should be full time, well paid positions, selected from Division 1 draftees who don’t make the NFL, but are in excellent shape and have scored high on the Wonderlic. 
 

2) They need to have intense training in the Rule Book, including what constitutes a catch and what is PI.

 

3) Agree. Missed Face Masks/ Helmet to Helmet need to be instantly reviewed from the booth and play stopped and overturned.

 

4) Post game, EVERY week, Refs missing calls from 3 feet away,need to be asked point blank, WHY they missed/ made the call. These involve both legit infractions missed AND phantom Holding calls made. Their answers, cumulatively should be grounds for whether they still have a job in 2025.

 

5) The field/ End Zone needs to be wired for any type of OOBs infractions. Instant decisions.

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

9 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

The only answer is using replay within the flow of the game. Replay is why this thread was made, replay is the fix.

 

No coaching challenges! Hate those with a passion.

 

This is actually a very easy fix. BUT imagine the anger when the announcer says NO FLAGS ON THE FIELD, then the replay happens and a flag is thrown. UGH. Not all the sky judge calls will be correct either. 
 

It’s going to suck either way, just a little less.  Could actually suck more if we allow the sky judge to actually throw a flag that wasn’t called. Maybe just use them to reverse bad calls made on the field. OR limit the calls they can make to face mask calls, which seem to be the most controversial missed calls because they are pretty easy to spot on replays.

 

IMO, the sky judge is a rabbit hole the NFL should not be going down. In theory it is good but it sets the league up to look like it is rigged as soon as they don't use it to overturn an obvious missed or bad call. We have already seen that this season once or twice.

 

The answer should be allowing the teams and coaches to review plays instantly with a guy dedicated for that up in the team booth. That way the onus is on the team to decide a call worth correcting. The team can't get jobbed by the sky judges random selection of plays to review.

[Mr. WEO]

why would being in Div 1 "shape" lead to better calls?  The calls aren't being blown because there aren't any refs who can catch up with the play....

 

 

The full time ref stuff has already been debunked

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

greed will always keep the nfl broken. vegas plays a very large part now more than ever and with the millions of dollars on a weekly basis on all these betting sources it's obvious why refereeing has become so obvious with the blatant bad calls we're seeing now having a big impact on the game results.

 

it sucks.

 

the only reason I even watch is there may be a chance the bills finally get that championship with JA. I can honestly say I have not tuned in and watched  a full nfl game other than video clips and what I read through media sources. aside from when the bills play, I'm disinterested and can clearly see there is no end in sight, at least not for the few years I would have left to watch. 

 

NFL referees slammed for making Jets-Bills game 'unwatchable'

 

Referee Adrian Hill and his crew threw 22 flags for an

incomprehensible 204 yards of penalties

 

Spencer Brown of the Buffalo Bills yells at a referee after

another controversial decision

 

 

NFL officiating is broken, according to coaches and executives. Inside a fractured system with no imminent fix

 

NFC and AFC coaches and executives who spoke to Yahoo Sports for this story overwhelmingly said they believe NFL officiating is getting worse, not better. Black-and-white striped individuals on stadium fields are not the primary concern, they said. 

 

 

no, I don't see a fix, just see it getting worse. 

[Orlando Buffalo]

17 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

why would being in Div 1 "shape" lead to better calls?  The calls aren't being blown because there aren't any refs who can catch up with the play....

 

 

The full time ref stuff has already been debunked

Better shape means better ability to get in position, less often making calls from 30 yards away. Can you tell me know the full time ref stuff was debunked? I was unaware that used full time refs at all.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

May I suggest 'The Patriot Way'.

*
Duffle bag of unmarked bills, nothing over $100.  Under the third rollaway dumpster at Gillette Stadium.

🤔
PS:  Someone forgot to tell Coach Mayo.

Edited Saturday at 03:44 PM by Ridgewaycynic2013

[Mr. WEO]

6 minutes ago, Orlando Buffalo said:

Better shape means better ability to get in position, less often making calls from 30 yards away. Can you tell me know the full time ref stuff was debunked? I was unaware that used full time refs at all.

 

First, there's no intuitive reason to believe that full time refs would make any difference at all.  They are required to have a decade or more of high level reffing experience before they are accepting into NFL training.  And, more, importantly, leagues with full time refs suffer from equally "bad" reffing--we all already understand this (see:  MLB playoffs, any NBA game). 

 

And when you watch any game Sunday, point out the flag throw where there was no ref/ump/line judge anywhere near the play.  

[Mr. WEO]

23 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

greed will always keep the nfl broken. vegas plays a very large part now more than ever and with the millions of dollars on a weekly basis on all these betting sources it's obvious why refereeing has become so obvious with the blatant bad calls we're seeing now having a big impact on the game results.

 

it sucks.

 

the only reason I even watch is there may be a chance the bills finally get that championship with JA. I can honestly say I have not tuned in and watched  a full nfl game other than video clips and what I read through media sources. aside from when the bills play, I'm disinterested and can clearly see there is no end in sight, at least not for the few years I would have left to watch. 

 

NFL referees slammed for making Jets-Bills game 'unwatchable'

 

Referee Adrian Hill and his crew threw 22 flags for an

incomprehensible 204 yards of penalties

 

Spencer Brown of the Buffalo Bills yells at a referee after

another controversial decision

 

 

NFL officiating is broken, according to coaches and executives. Inside a fractured system with no imminent fix

 

NFC and AFC coaches and executives who spoke to Yahoo Sports for this story overwhelmingly said they believe NFL officiating is getting worse, not better. Black-and-white striped individuals on stadium fields are not the primary concern, they said. 

 

 

no, I don't see a fix, just see it getting worse. 

 

Ravens didn't cover.  "Vegas" isn't doing the game fixing correctly.

[shane nelson]

Very simple, a very robust modern review process.  If all the fans and announcers can make a decision on 10 seconds, then why can't officials?  

 

My thoughts: 3 video officials in the booth, decisions must be unanimous and made in 20 seconds or less on all plays.  If they cant make a decision in that time, then the play stands.

 

Should not really delay the games since the officials already take 20 to 30 seconds and at times longer to make decision.

 

The NFL has by far the worst officiating in all sports, it needs to put integrity back into the sport versus greed.