“I’m just going to say it right now: I’m sick and tired of the reffing in this league,’’ said Vikings defensive end Brian Robinson. Robinson is not alone in his criticism. NFL players have made it no secret that they have issue with the current NFL officiating. Following the New York Giants’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. said, “I don’t really think we should have this crew anymore with the past history and everything that’s gone on.” Beckham’s comments come just one year removed from his storied showdown with Josh Norman that resulted in the star wide out being suspended for the subsequent game.
The referee complaints transcend beyond the NFL, as collegiate referees have been a hot topic of the national media. Two weeks ago, Michigan was defeated by Ohio State following a controversial first down call that extended an OSU overtime drive resulting in a game-winning touchdown on the next play. After the game, Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was extremely critical of the refs, saying, “I’m bitterly disappointed in the officiating today.” In a game of that magnitude – Number 2 vs. Number 3 in the country at the time – the referees unintentionally made themselves the center of the outcome.
Two years removed from an officiating strike in the NFL, along with emerging problems in the NCAA crews, it has become clear that action needs to be taken. While instant replay in both professional and collegiate football has expanded over the years, which is surely a positive step, the on field officiating needs to improve. According to CBS Sports, the NFL seems to have begun to move on the issue, as the league will be hiring as many as 17 full-time referees next season. Additionally, according to the AP, there are proposals for the NFL to expand the game day refereeing crew from 7 to 8 refs. NFL Executive VP Troy Vincent told the AP that the motivating factor behind hiring full-time referees is the ability for the NFL to train them in order to improve job performance.
It remains to be seen how effective the NFL’s action will be, and if the NCAA will be able to make similar moves. However, the steps being taken surely steer football in the right direction, and will hopefully turn the attention from the officiating to the on-field performance of each league’s superstars.
