For more information on the responsibilities of a referee, consult the law 5 of the Laws of the Game. The referee, two linesmen (aka Assistant Referees) responsible for offsides and out of bounds calls, and the fourth official responsible for substitutions, the time added on, and getting yelled at by managers. Officials also wear a black belt, black shoes, and a baseball cap. The side judge is the official positioned 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield near the same sideline as the head linesman. A referee is the only official wearing a white hat, all other officials wear black hats. In 1978, the NFL added a fifth official: the back judge. Inflation was a major problem in the AFC Championship Game, and the NFL has introduced added security during Super Bowl XLIX to ensure that the ball remains in good condition. [12] From 2010 to 2015, the umpire returned to the defensive side of the line of scrimmage during the last five minutes of the second half. Also, the head linesman keeps track of all eligible receivers and marks the forward progress of the ball. Football: Officials and Refs - Ducksters [6] In addition, officials wore white (or red) "newsboy" style hats. They also need to know the strategic tendencies of both teams, as well as the habits of star players. In addition to that, the NFL requires teams to open six new footballs in their locker room two hours prior to the game, and they must be specially marked. The following are the positions and responsibilities of each officiating positions. The back judge has the final say regarding the legality of kicks not made from scrimmage (kickoffs). In 1979, the referees changed to black hats with white stripes, while the other officials continued to wear white ones. They also line themselves up with the line of scrimmage. Though they dont spend much time on the pitch, the Fourth Offical is a key part of the game and act as the glue of the four officials, keeping them all together and keeping the players calm and collected. The side judge (S or SJ) works downfield behind the defensive secondary on the same sideline as the head linesman or down judge. In 2006, the NFL completely redesigned the shirts, going to a sleeker-looking uniform which, however, no longer identified a given official's position from the front. Darin Gantt of Profootballtalk.com and Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times lamented that it was in this manner that this gender barrier was broken. Start between the hash marks, Keeps track of 40- or 25-second game clock and manages all television breaks, Starts in the middle and reads the initial action by the Left Guard, Center and Right Guard, Once a BJ reads run, they focus on the 1st level action looking for holding by the Defense, As the play progresses, they go to the 2nd level looking for holding by the Offense, Finally, they go to the primary threat of foul, Once a BJ reads pass, they go to the #2 or #3 receiver based on the formation, Once the ball is released the BJ immediately goes to the where the pass is thrown, Kickoffs Lines up on the Kickers restraining line and ensures KO team is lined up correctly, Responsible for Kicking team not being offside prior to the kick, Punts Position 7-10 yards behind the receiver between the hash marks, Rules on fair catch and fair catch infractions and all other rules that pertain to scrimmage kicks, Lines up under goal posts to rule whether field goals and extra points are good, Defensive backfield, 20 yards behind the LOS toward the same side of the field as the line judge, Watches receiver split widest on nearest side of the field for illegal use of hands and blocking fouls, and for penalties on defensive back covering him, Watches widest receiver block, looking for illegal use of hands or holding, If play goes to nearest side of field, determines if runner goes out of bounds, Focuses on widest receiver on nearest side of the field to make sure the player is able to run his route without defensive interference, If play goes to nearest side, rules on whether pass is complete, On opposite sideline from down judge, looking directly down the LOS, Rules on plays near the sideline on nearest half of the field, Primarily in the Offensive backfield, opposite the referee, 15 yards deep and just outside the normal Tight End position, Maintains control of the game by directly engaging and advising the players throughout the game, Counts the number of offensive players on the field, Marks off penalty yardage and ensures its accuracy, Digs in piles after fumbles to determine which Player/Team has possession, Before the snap, watches for false starts by the Center, Left or Right Guard, Watches the Center, Left Guard, Left Tackle, monitors their actions and those of the defenders engaged with them, Assists the Referee with ruling on action around or to the QB/Passer, Punts - Positions a s few yards behind the Punter, as wide as the Left Tackle, Watches for infractions by the Center and two Guards, Field Goal/Point After Touchdown Positions a few yards behind the Holder, to his right side, Watches for infractions in and around the strong side of the defensive rush. During field goals, the back judge is positioned under the goalpost and rules whether the field goal attempt was successful. In addition to their regular work, NFL referees also take part in functions, attend training courses, and attend functions to keep their skills up. And dont forget to check out our other articles for more information about referees! The heavily televised games usually have lots of officials and coverage in comparison to the less known and local games. The referees wore red hats, the others white, each with the AFL logo; the league switched to the standard black and white stripes emulating the elder league for their last two seasons before their merger with the NFL was completed (1968 and 1969). The umpire (U) traditionally stands behind the defensive line and linebackers, observing the blocks by the offensive line and defenders trying to ward off those blocks, looking for holding or illegal blocks. During passing plays, umpires move forward towards the line of scrimmage as the play develops to penalize any offensive linemen who move illegally downfield before the pass is thrown or penalize the quarterback for throwing the ball when beyond the original line of scrimmage. In CFL football, the replay official is not located at the stadium itself, but rather at the CFL Command Centre at the CFL Head Office in Toronto. This occurred because of suspicions raised by McNallys actions. In addition, quarterbacks and kickers are protected by NFL rules when in the act of passing or kicking. Officiating crews. The CFL used an eighth official (with no official position name) only during the 2018 playoffs, but that official's only responsibility was watching for head contact with the quarterback. The NFL also requires teams to use these balls exclusively for the kicking game. The back judge is the official who sets up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the wide receiver side of the field. They may also disagree with the other officials calls. The third official is a linesman, who has responsibility for certain important decisions involving offside and goalscoring opportunities. U Sports and other leagues in Canada do not utilize the replay-review process. This official lined up in the offensive backfield, and whose sole responsibility was judging helmet contact on the quarterback. The alternate judge will also help spot the ball. In 2021, line judge Maia Chaka became the NFL's second full-time female on-field official. Diagram showing the relative positions of the eight-official system. Regulations also stipulate the dimensions of the goal post and field markings. This referee positions himself behind the line of scrimmage, around ten feet into the defensive backfield. [46] She is also the first openly bisexual official to work in a major professional football league and in college football. [26] In the 2014 season, any conference that wanted to use the eight-official system could do so on an experimental basis. To understand a bit more about the four officials that make up the referee team in a soccer match, we will be going over their roles and responsibilities in this section of the article: 1. She officated the 2020 AFC Championship game. The field judge stands on the sideline in the defensive backfield, about 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage. When a review is underway, the referee speaks to the replay official via headset at the sideline. The footballs are also subject to doctoring and alteration by teams to make them feel better. It is enjoyed by many different cultures and nationalities and it really brings people together to enjoy a good match. They also keep the referee informed of the current downand make rulings for sideline plays on their half of the field. Football 101 - The Basics of Beginning a Football Game, Holding in Football - Definition and Explanation, 30 Great Cheers and Chants for Cheerleaders, The Slot in Football - Definition and Explanation. Using these prescribed mechanics ensures that the officiating crew sees all 22 players and their actions wherever they occur on the field. The field judge is responsible for keeping track of the play clock and calling a delay of game if the clock expires. They consist of: Referee, Head Linesman, Line Judge, Umpire, Back Judge, Side Judge, and Field Judge. The Mississippi native's officiating career began in 2007 as a high school football referee. We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Proper training and. They do so according to the Laws of the Game and the spirit of the game. How to Deal With Spectator Abuse: Advice for Referees, What Makes A Great Soccer Referee? The First Steps Toward Excellence The year 1938 would be a turning point for NFL officiating for two reasons: Officials were assigned to dedicated. [11] In March 2010, the NFL announced that this repositioning would be permanent, after five major injuries were suffered by umpires in 2009 (two concussions and three knee or shoulder injuries requiring surgery). [31], For the 2015 and 2019 NFL preseasons, for 8 and 2 games respectively, the NFL experimented with the umpire (U2),[25] positioned in the offensive backfield. What are the 4 officials in football? As the play develops, the head linesman is responsible for judging the action near that sideline, including whether a player is out of bounds. In any event, veteran officials can earn substantial salaries for their work. The NFL has changed the way that game balls are handled and tested. They consist of the Head Referee, two Assistant Referees, and the final one who is referred to as the Fourth Offical. Rules on pass interference of holding downfield in the area between the side and field judges. 2023 National Football League. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. New England Patriots vs New York Giants NFL Rivalry. According to NFL rules, game balls must be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 psi, but teams can choose to supply their own footballs. This article is a list of American football officials who have experience working National Football League (NFL) games. NFL referees work 20-24 hours a week, which is equivalent to three days at a typical 9-to-5 job. Each official has a specific position and responsibilities during the game: Positions of the different officials R - Referee [13] The following year, the CFL followed suit with the name change. The side judge makes sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field and watches all eligible receivers from that side of the field. The pressure difference is so small that it is difficult to account for it through environmental factors alone. After a flag is thrown, officials will signal the reason for the flag. Together with the field judge, the back judge rules whether field goal attempts are successful. On a punt out of bounds, referees use their vantage point behind the punter to direct the nearest sideline official to the spot where the ball went out of bounds. Many referees even receive pensions. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. During an NFL football game, a line judge can call out of bounds, make a call, or assist with the chain crew. That process began in earnest in the late 1930s. The NFL Referees Association serves as the union that represents officials in the NFL. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. A side judge also plays an integral role during field goal attempts, judging whether a kicker made a successful field goal. Officials in Football | Roles and Responsibilities of a Referee In 2007, Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate a major college football game, working a game between Memphis and Jacksonville State. Prior to the snap and during the play, each official, by position, has a specific area of responsibility on the field to watch specific player positions and watch for specific fouls. Football officials enforce the rules of the gameand, as such, are usually the people whodraw the most ire from coaches, players and fans. After the introduction of VAR, there are total 4-5 referees in VAR Room and the other 4 on the pitch. Originally Answered: How many referees handle football matches? This is the newest position of all the official types and their primary job is to keep everything calm and organized while the other officials watch the main bulk of the game. Additionally, the jump from high school to college or the pros was . [21] In 2017, the NFL renamed the head linesman to down judge. But despite the low pressure, the ball did not feel soft. The middle judge is placed in the center of the field, adjacent to the back judge (BJ). If there is a disagreement between officials, the referee will step in and make the decision. Like the back judge, the field judge makes sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field. NFL Officials: Preparing for Success | NFL Football Operations In the lower division cups, however, there sometimes arent even four officials. After the flag is thrown and play has stopped, the officials will discuss and announce the final penalty call to coaches, players, and fans. Prior to the snap, he counts all offensive players. Each NFL game averages around 154 plays. There is the referee, umpire, line judge, side judge, down judge, back judge, field judge and replay official. Located 20 yards behind the defensive secondary, the side judge is responsible for determining whether a play is an out-of-bounds or a penalty. A successful PAT conversion or goal post kick earns one point for the offense. Each of the officials roles works hand in hand with each other which means the Head Referee doesnt have to worry about being in a dozen places at once. In 2013, college football's Big 12 Conference began using an eighth official, an alternate judge (A). However, this range does not always correspond to reality. They can initiate replay reviews on in certain circumstances. [37] In 2019, she became the first female official to officiate an NFL playoff game in an AFC divisional round between Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots. FOA alumni have joined officiating crews in major college football conferences, including the Big 12 . In 2010, the UFL switched to a customized version of the traditional black and white stripes, and wore this uniform until its 2012 shutdown.