NFL Officiating Has Football Fans Frustrated and Angry
The NFL is some of the greatest drama on television due to its unpredictable nature. On any given [...]
The New Orleans Saints and their fans have a very combative relationship with NFL referees. Whether it was the missed pass interference in the NFC Championship Game earlier this year, the clock errors in week one, or the voided touchdown in week two. The Saints have been on the receiving end of some very egregious mistakes. Are the officials out to punish the Saints, or does this team simply have terrible luck?
prevnextThe #NFL Should be embarrassed with the blown Call in this New Orleans Saints game...
The Referees know the accountability factor is “ZERO” and continue to affect the outcome of #NFL/#Saints games without real consequences...
We have the technology...Use it! pic.twitter.com/gmOwV4u2iy
— Josh Lemoine (@LsuFBallTruth) September 15, 2019
Steve Gleason is a legend in the state of Louisiana. The former member of the New Orleans Saints, who has since been confined to a wheelchair due to ALS, is the man that blocked a punt by the Falcons and scored the first touchdown in the Saints stadium since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. This was a moment that has since been immortalized with a statue outside of the stadium. Gleason has been on the sidelines for every Saints home game and has seen some egregious calls by the referees. Unfortunately, he is beginning to sense a pattern with these calls against his former team.
prevnextI've been around high level football for 25 years or so, and I've always held that you can never blame the referees, but three consecutive game changing calls by @NFL referees... It's pretty remarkable incompetence. Stay resilient Who Dats
— Steve Gleason (@SteveGleason) September 15, 2019
On Monday night, the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns generated constant discussions about the NFL after big plays by Odell Beckham Jr. and Baker Mayfield. This offense finally showed signs of life en route to a decisive win at MetLife Stadium, and fans were very vocal in response.
That said, one of the biggest discussions actually revolved around Jets safety Jamal Adams, who was benched after getting flagged on multiple plays. The young star from LSU was even fined $21,000 after hitting Mayfield on what many described as a questionable play.
prevnext@NFL, explain to me how the referee’s flag was already thrown before Jamal hit Baker? Assumption? Favoritism? Any way you interpret this picture, it’s obvious that the referee predetermined that he was going to call some penalty on the field. #Jets@TheAdamsEra APPEAL THAT FINE! pic.twitter.com/UWVRgmMb8f
— JET UP FANS (0-2) (@jetupnation2) September 19, 2019
As long as Twitter has existed, there has been a common theme of discussion. Are the referees favoring New England Patriots Tom Brady? There is a belief that those in the stripes routinely make calls that benefit the six-time Super Bowl champion, and now, a member of the Miami Dolphins has just added fuel to that fire. Apparently, he got a warning after hitting Brady during Sunday's game.
prevnextRaekwon McMillan told me when he hit Brady on Sunday - a perfectly legit hit - the referee told him "Stay off Tom." NFL still protecting those QBs amid several early season injuries to marquee ones
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) September 18, 2019
With the referees coming under constant scrutiny, it's important to realize that they are all part-time employees. These officials have full-time jobs and only don the stripes in their free time. Unfortunately, this means that they don't have the time to dedicate to truly becoming a master of the craft. This fact is difficult for many fans to accept considering that the NFL reportedly earned around $15 billion in 2018.
prevnext- The NFL makes a Bazillion dollars per year, I think they can spare some millions to hire, train and retain the absolute best referees in any sport if they want to, so they should... pic.twitter.com/ktoEWU0hqw
— RW (@Rob_AirOne) September 21, 2019
Thursday's battle between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars was one that brought the referee frustrations to the forefront of the season conversation. The game saw 15 penalties called in the first half alone, totaling 92 yards.
For comparison, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota only managed 62 yards passing in the same span of time. The most prominent calls during this game were holding penalties, many of which generated cries of frustration. In fact, some people even went to the footage in an effort to find out where these holds happened.
prevnextWhy are NFL referees so bad?pic.twitter.com/LTHX2FdpS4
— Clarknado (@TheClarkness) September 20, 2019
There were times in the history of the NFL where fans loved certain referees. Whether it was Ed Hochuli with his long-winded explanations and massive biceps or Jerome Boger with his smooth delivery, it was easy to enjoy seeing these officials on the TV. Public opinion has since changed, however, and fans are now frustrated with referees on a daily basis.
prevnext“The #NFL Referees have arrived at MetLife Stadium for the Monday Night Football Game...”
— Josh Lemoine (@LsuFBallTruth) September 16, 2019
There are many football fans that are wondering why only the players are punished for their mistakes. If a defender, such as Stefon Diggs of the Vikings, takes off his helmet on the field of play in a fit of anger, he will be fined by the league. His mistake will directly impact his bank account, so why doesn't this standard go both ways? NFL fans would like to see referees held accountable for their mistakes.
prevnextMy NFL hot take is that NFL referees should be fined for egregious errors just like players — they need to be held accountable if players are expected to do the same
— Evan Hill (@EvanHillSEA) September 21, 2019
For many fans, these penalties are getting out of hand. It seems like every time a player steps onto the field or ties his shoes, he is getting a yellow flag thrown in his direction. This may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the fans are far beyond frustrated with the number of penalties called every single week.
prevnextNFL player: *breathes*
NFL referee: pic.twitter.com/oW54JQP9r1
— Will Burns (@Willy_B22) September 20, 2019
The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints do not like each other as NFC rivals, and their fans historically have very combative relationships. However, one thing that they can agree on is the quality of officiating or lack thereof. Both teams and their fans felt that referees were directly responsible for taking touchdowns off the board.
In Los Angeles, the officials mistakenly blew the play dead as defensive end Cameron Jordan was running to the end zone after picking up a fumble. The Vikings, on the other hand, lost a Stefon Diggs touchdown when referees called offensive pass interference on Dalvin Cook. This wouldn't have been an issue if the penalty was called during the play. However, the referees actually waited until the Vikings were lining up for the extra point before reviewing the play and calling what many described as a questionable penalty.
This referee crew in the Vikings/Packers game literally has no idea what they are doing! This is an absolute embarrassment for the @NFL.
— DV (@dkVerdoorn) September 15, 2019
prevOf course the Vikings would lose a touchdown because of a penalty on a standard booth review of the touchdown with no flags on the play. 🤦♂️
— Justin Harguth (@jharguth56) September 15, 2019