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 fumble by the offense that goes out of bounds in the field of play is awarded to the offense at the point that it went out of bounds. A fumble out of the endzone by the offense is given to the defense, why?

Asked by Steve in Motown over 6 years ago

Steve, you're asking the same question. I can't answer it any differently. There is consistency in the fact that when the offense puts the ball into their opponents endzone (e.g. punt) it's a touchback. Same here.

Concerning dead ball fouls, why are they only enforced if it happens after the play, why not if they happen during the play? By definition, fouls should not happen, period. Why offset during the play but not after? Makes no sense to me.

Asked by dmuellenberg over 6 years ago

Yes, fouls happen...after the play they "shouldn't" happen because the play is over. The player screwed up by going after an opponent after the play.

QB in pocket watching receivers. Long hair protrudes from helmet.
A. Unblocked DL grabs by hair and pulls to ground.
B. DL being blocked reaches out for anything and grabs hair, pulls to ground.
Is either illegal?

Asked by JAMES FRANCIS over 6 years ago

Long hair is on the player. He is not being pulled down by the facemask or a helmet opening nor is he being pulled down by grabbing inside the collar (horse collar tackle). There is no foul.

A few weeks ago we saw onside kick in which kicker tossed ball 10 feet into air, hit ground, bounced 5-6 feet, and was easily kicked high. NFL later said that was illegal. Was that just the NFL, or was there something in rule book making illegal?

Asked by Jay over 6 years ago

No, it's illegal. An onside kick is a free kick which must be from a tee or by dropkick. A dropkick, by definition, is a ball kicked immediately after hitting the ground, not 3, 4, or 5 feet in the air. A similar mistake was made in a college game a few weeks ago.

if an offensive player is driving towards the end zone and fumbles the ball in the field of play before reaching the end zone and the ball rolls into and then out of the end zone, why is it that the defense is rewarded possession of the football?

Asked by Steve in Motown over 6 years ago

By definition, what you have there is a touchback. And it isn't so much that the defense is rewarded as it is awarded the ball. It was the offense that put the ball into and through the end zone and that's a touchback.

In the Browns vs. Bengals game yesterday, CLE TE appears to come down with catch, but ball is stripped out by CIN player as both go to ground. Eventually ruled an INT. Why wasn't CIN player ruled "down by contact?"

Asked by JLINK8 over 6 years ago

Yiu write there isxa strip as they go to the ground. Meaning no one is down. So if possession changes before they go to the ground and the defender has control once on the ground, you have an INT.

When do you think sports will resume?

Asked by adfasdf almost 6 years ago

I wish I knew. Lots of conversations at high levels. And with a lot of moving parts. Medicine, economics, training, facilities. And will people attend? Hockey and NBA are, I think, at greatest risk. Followed by college football. For what it's worth, I think MLB plays but when, where, for how long is anyone's guess. The NFL (IMO) is about the money- they'll play but again how long? My 2 cents.