Football Official

Football Official

Zebra

Somewhere in, NJ

Male, 62

I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!

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514 Questions

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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Best Rated

A receiver is lined up in the line of scrimmage, before the snap, he crosses the line of scrimmage jogging about 5 yards,. QB doesn't snap the ball, the referee tells the player to reset, which he does, then QB snaps the ball.
Is this allowable?

Asked by Marc over 9 years ago

If he starts jogging downfield, you could consider it a delay of game foul. But that's sort of a stretch. Unless there's some exigent circumstance that I can't figure out, the receiver is creating a false start. That also assumes that the team is pretty much ready to snap the ball - he's on the wrong side of the ball. If a receiver is too far up, an official - the linesman or line judge - might tell him to "watch the ball" and let him correct himself. But the receiver doesn't seem too sharp.

Why in the Jacksonville-Baltimore game were the Jaguars awarded 20 yards when Dumervil grabbed Bortles face mask? He was taken down at the Jaguars 45 and they placed the ball at the Ravens 35 yard line for the next play.

Asked by Chris Barsano about 9 years ago

That doesn't sound too right. Usually a foul like that is tacked on from the end of the run with an automatic first down. Based on what you wrote, it should have gone from the Jags 45 to the Ravens 40. Unless there's something in the NFL rules - which are not always the same as college and HS - that marks it from another spot.

Why are the pylons out-of bounds but is called TD if touched-look where they are.

Asked by pschamplin about 9 years ago

Why, in soccer, is the sideline inbounds? It's the definition. The pylons are not out of bounds; they are part of the goal line "extended". When the ball, while being carried, hits one, it is breaking the plane of the goal. Like wise, if the ball is carried outside the pylon but the player touches the pylon, it is a touchdown since the ball has crossed the goal line "extended".

In the NFL If a player intercepts a 2 pt conversion pass in the end zone and attempts to run it back, crosses the goal line and then backs back into the end zone and gets tackled, is it a safety?

Asked by Jimbadger52 about 9 years ago

To the best of my knowledge, only in college can you run back a missed 2 pt conversion as you describe. In college, that is a safety.

QB throws a backwards pass to a receiver who makes a clean catch. The receiver ends up running with the ball and makes it back to the line of scrimmage. For stat purposes, does the receiver get this recorded as a Rush attempt and if not, how is it recorded? This play happened in Super Bowl 50. Cam Newton threw backwards pass to Ted Ginn Jr. and he ended up running with the ball for no gain.

Asked by BB almost 9 years ago

Stats are not in the purview of field officials. The official box score from the game does not show Ginn with any rushes so my guess it's a pass for both QB and receiver.

Do you know when the team logos were added the NFL footballs?

Asked by Gward3 over 9 years ago

No. And I didn't know they were.

I was playing football for my school and my QB overthrew me and so I ran out of bouns before the ball went out of bounds and I jumped in the air and I hit the ball to my teammate who was behind me and then the reff called that a penalty. Why is that?

Asked by Hi my name is Jernard about 9 years ago

"I ran out of bounds". And anything you then touch is also out of bounds. The penalty, I'm thinking, is for illegal touching.