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

Is a try after point mandatory or may it be declined

Asked by Ols over 9 years ago

No one would decline the opportunity to score points. But in the case of the SupervBowl, the PAT score wasn't needed. The game had been decided. It's similar cat other levels. If the score might make a difference (e.g. as a tie breaker in league play or seeding) you have the try. If not, you can walk away...or decline.

Why is a quarterback not charged for "intentional grounding" when he spikes the ball?

Asked by Les over 9 years ago

The rules allow the player who "first controls the snap" to immediately throw it to the ground without being called for grounding.

To what extent is a tackler responsible for knowing whether the ballcarrier is in-bounds or OB? Assume late whistles:
A: Ballcarrier steps on sideline and is immediately tackled.
B: Ballcarrier is two steps OB and is tackled.
C. All cases in-between

Asked by Bridgbum over 9 years ago

That's a good question. Simply put, the tackler is responsible - period. And don't assume any whistle; as is often said, the play kills itself, not the whistle. For example, if a player is down and there's no immediate whistle, and the player gets hit, it's a foul, whistle or not.

Back to out of bounds: in your example A, you can envision the tackler right there as the runner hits OOB. You probably don't flag that because it's happening so quickly at the sideline. In B, you have a foul; that's pretty obvious. Cases in between? There really isn't an in-between. If the runner steps out, he's out and can't be hit. If the contact begins while the runner is in bounds, then it's not a foul unless there is unnecessary continuing contact out of bounds.



If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Asked by Thunder23 almost 10 years ago

Line can go down one yard. Beyond that is illegal. A pass behind the line is, I believe, the same - no more than one yard.

I noticed a few weeks ago Stefan Diggs for the Vikings received a fine for using the goal post as a prop in his celebration. Why aren’t players that climb the wall after a touchdown fined? Seems like they are using the wall as a prop?

Asked by Butch over 8 years ago

I don't know what the NFL allows in that regard. The "Lambeau Leap" has been accepted for quite a while. That mat play into the decision.

In the NFL if a player possesses the ball and a teammate standing partially out of bounds contacts him is the ball considered out of bounds?

Asked by Ron over 9 years ago

Well, based on what we saw on the Giants-Packers game, no. My understanding on other levels is if a player (ball carrier) comes on contact with something or someone out of bounds, then he is out of bounds. But...

If the offense snaps the ball over the head of the QB into the endzone and during the scrambel for the ball it is knocked out of the back of the endzone is that a safety?

Asked by Dan over 8 years ago

Yes. Unless something else happens that isn't described here, it was the offense that put the ball in its own end zone. If it goes out, it's their responsibility. If they recover it there, it's a safety. And if the defense recovers, it's a touchdown