Twitter: Refs bailing like the Titanic from the NFL

[LocimusPrime]

People generally don't bail from good jobs and those NFL refs get paid gooooood and it's only part time. Sweet gig

 

[cern]

Some are old. Some have been offered jobs as tv replay experts. The beat goes on. I see no cause for alarm.

 

[conner01]

NFL refs are older guys with leisure time, who are not full-time professionals but who ref games for s—ts and giggles.

By using low-cost amateur refs, the NFL and the NFLPA save a few dimes, sure...but that’s why we end up with games being decided by blind old men — who can’t get it right on the field in the first place — having their mistakes supported after-the-fact by arcane rulings, such as the Tuck Rule, which began the Brady Era, or the just-rewritten receiving rule which, in its previously ridiculous form, put us on the wrong end of Catch/No Catch in 2014.

Put all these current fuggs in a sack and drown ‘em...then go out and hire/train — and hold accountable — some full-time profe$$ional referees.

They sure make a ton of money for their part time job. In 2019 their salary goes to 201,000.00
Not bad for a part time gig

 

[conner01]

Some are old. Some have been offered jobs as tv replay experts. The beat goes on. I see no cause for alarm.

Players come and go
Coaches come and go
Officials come and go
That’s the NFL and life

 

[Jipper]

They need full time 100 percent and fairly compensated refs...i know they are working towards it but should accelerate it....if they can pay an average qb 15 mil a year they can pay refs something fair

 

[RoboQB]

Maybe those guys don't want to be the ones to tell 80,000 fans that their RB who
just buried his head and bowled over a defender for a TD is being flagged for the
new penalty.... or maybe it's just a coincidence.

 

[ESisback]

Aren’t most of the guys leaving “on the back 9”? They’re well compensated, but I’d imagine they don’t wanna take crap from disgruntled fans. People overreact, and with the new rule changes they probable figure it’s not worth the abuse.

 

[ksadler1]

Good riddance to Ed...

 

[Hoofbite]

NFL refs are older guys with leisure time, who are not full-time professionals but who ref games for s—ts and giggles.

By using low-cost amateur refs, the NFL and the NFLPA save a few dimes, sure...but that’s why we end up with games being decided by blind old men — who can’t get it right on the field in the first place — having their mistakes supported after-the-fact by arcane rulings, such as the Tuck Rule, which began the Brady Era, or the just-rewritten receiving rule which, in its previously ridiculous form, put us on the wrong end of Catch/No Catch in 2014.

Put all these current fuggs in a sack and drown ‘em...then go out and hire/train — and hold accountable — some full-time profe$$ional referees.

Low-cost? Those guys work part-time and still make enough to be the top 5% of the American population in terms of income. How much should a referee make?

 

[Hoofbite]

Aren’t most of the guys leaving “on the back 9”? They’re well compensated, but I’d imagine they don’t wanna take crap from disgruntled fans. People overreact, and with the new rule changes they probable figure it’s not worth the abuse.

Well, yeah. Those are some of the most notable names in terms of refs because they've been doing it for like 15-20 years, at least.

And it looks like all except Hochuli are going for the Mike Pereira role on various networks. Steratore goes to CBS, McCauly is going to NBC, and - somehow - Triplette is going to ESPN.

Hochuli is retiring because almost 30 years of officiating is probably enough, and the other guys were undoubtedly given better pay to watch the game and phone in commentary.

 

[CPanther95]

Crap.

Well they better replace them with Steelers fans so they don't upset the delicate balance that's been achieved.

 

[cern]

there are disputes as to what nfl refs actually make. I doubt it's s high as some think. crew chiefs make more than the rest.

 

[The Fonz]

Maybe they will be replaced by an AI

 

[Doomsday]

I had a feeling this might happen when the NFL decided to go with full time refs.

Most of the current group are professionals who probably make more money in the real world.

 

[Jake]

Lot's of referee turnover.

Terry McCauley
Ed Hochuli
Jeff Tripplette
Gene Steratore

Those are some of the main guys.

The magical move to "full time officials", who apparently will spend 365 days each year studying and perfecting their craft, has pushed some veterans away.

Steratore has also been officiating college basketball for years, and somehow manages to do it as a part-time gig. Go figure.

 

[dwreck27]

Gotta believe they told gene to quit the extra shenanigans and free styling during games...

He always seem to have some sass making the calls and I’m sure they were trying to cut back on that

 

[stilltheguru88]

A lot of Italian sounding names, but that’s none of my business

 

[Hoofbite]

I had a feeling this might happen when the NFL decided to go with full time refs.

Most of the current group are professionals who probably make more money in the real world.

I don't think that's necessarily the issue. The only hired like 24 full-timers, which is enough to cover like 3 games per week in 2017. These guys had the experience to be retained on a part-time basis during whatever transitional period would have been necessary.

If it was anything other than age or money, I'd wager on burnout. The game has become increasingly hostile towards officials over the past decade. More camera angles and more high-speed footage means more scrutiny over errors made at full-speed from angles that weren't available to the official making the call. Instant replay and it's wide applicability has taken a bit of "sport" out of the sport. How many past great outcomes would be different if every score and every turnover was automatically reviewed? How many historical finishes would be altered if every single play within 2 minutes of each half were automatically reviewed? Now add in the only thing coaches can challenge by reviewing every big non-scoring play, and every big non-turnover play as well. The result is every big moment being up for interpretation, and I think it's a detriment to the product. If it isn't taking away a play based on an insignificant technicality that can't be seen in real time, then instant replay is often times killing momentum and erasing the emotional swings that people remember.

I wish they'd go back to the 2 (3rd if successful on both) challenge system. Force coaches to risk something and eliminate unnecessary pauses in action.

 

[DandyTom64]

NFL refs are older guys with leisure time, who are not full-time professionals but who ref games for s—ts and giggles.

By using low-cost amateur refs, the NFL and the NFLPA save a few dimes, sure...but that’s why we end up with games being decided by blind old men — who can’t get it right on the field in the first place — having their mistakes supported after-the-fact by arcane rulings, such as the Tuck Rule, which began the Brady Era, or the just-rewritten receiving rule which, in its previously ridiculous form, put us on the wrong end of Catch/No Catch in 2014.

Put all these current fuggs in a sack and drown ‘em...then go out and hire/train — and hold accountable — some full-time profe$$ional referees.

You're talking about cutting into Goodell's bonus money.

 

[Northern_Cowboy]

Wasn't Steratore the ruler guy and Dez over-ruler! Bye bye Papa Gino. Go gab a pie on the way out

No he wasn't, it was mostly Dean Blandino at NFL HQ who made the call