On a punt out of bounds, referees use their vantage point behind the punter to direct the nearest sideline official to the spot where the ball went out of bounds. High school football played under the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules typically use five officials for varsity and 3, 4, or 5 for non-varsity games. Of these, one was nearly two pounds under regulation. Football Official The seven officials in an NFL game include: The Referee. In addition to these salaries, NFL referees also get bonuses for postseason games. In addition to the general equipment listed above, the referee also carries a coin to conduct the pregame (and if necessary, overtime) coin toss. In 2006, the NFL completely redesigned the shirts, going to a sleeker-looking uniform which, however, no longer identified a given official's position from the front. The referee is the lead official that has control of the game and is generally the final authority in all decisions. The goal itself consists of a frame measuring 8 feet high and 8 yards wide. During field goals, the back judge is positioned under the goalpost and rules whether the field goal attempt was successful. The side judge is in the same position as the field judge, just on the other side of the field. The NFL requires teams to return twenty-four footballs to the Officials Locker Room after every game. Regulations also stipulate the dimensions of the goal post and field markings. The official is responsible for the final determination of challenges made by the two teams' head coaches; and in the final 3 minutes (and all of overtime) of the game initiating a review of any play they believe warrants such attention. The black pants became mandatory for college officials in 2011 and for NFL officials in 2012. Officials also wear a black belt, black shoes, and a baseball cap. For years, college football referees were prohibited from announcing the number of a fouling player, except in the Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference (and in all conferences when ejecting the offending player). The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, American Athletic Conference, and Big 12 Conference implemented an eight-official system for games; the eighth official's position name changed to center judge (C) but this judge's location on the field was the same as the alternate judge was in 2013. In gridiron football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There is the referee, umpire, line judge, side judge, down judge, back judge, field judge and replay official. The eight-person crews were used in bowl games, including games in the College Football Playoff, since officials from conferences using eight-person crews were chosen for the three playoff games. The wing assigned to the sideline, on the other hand, moves toward the plane of the ball. [14] Some states have revised their high school officials manuals to also use the term head line-judge.[15]. 2. The side judge is the official positioned 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield near the same sideline as the head linesman. The seven officials in an NFL game include: The Referee The Umpire The Down Judge The Line Judge The Field Judge The Side Judge The Back Judge Football Referee The referee is the head official and has the final say with all rulings on the field. Some NFL referees have side jobs, too, including Adrian Hill, who holds down two jobs. This is the newest position of all the official types and their primary job is to keep everything calm and organized while the other officials watch the main bulk of the game. Sometimes something can happen in a match and only a few players actually see it, such as an unfair tackle or the ball going offside and the Head Referee is there to ensure that the game is being played as fairly as possible with as little violence. U Sports and other leagues in Canada do not utilize the replay-review process. $53,000 per year On average, NFL waterboys make $53,000 per year (according to Stack.com). Incidental contact is not a violation. FIFA only stipulates that for professional 11-versus-11 competition, the length must be between 100 yards and 130 yards and the width between 50 and 100 yards. Side judge duties are essentially the same as the back judge. An official is responsible for interpreting the rules of the game and enforcing them on the football field. The position of a side judge in an NFL football game is critical to the integrity of the game. During passing plays, umpires move forward towards the line of scrimmage as the play develops to penalize any offensive linemen who move illegally downfield before the pass is thrown or penalize the quarterback for throwing the ball when beyond the original line of scrimmage. This position originated in the All-America Football Conference and is the deepest secondary official. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 2. Therefore, the pressure on game balls is regulated by the NFL. Finally, we have the fourth official. The referee is positioned in the backfield, approximately 10 yards behind the quarterback before the start of the play. Each official has his own title and assigned responsibilities: referee, umpire, head linesman, line judge, back judge, field judge and side judge. When the NFL began in 1920, only three officials (referee, umpire, and head linesman) were used. The back judge rules on the legality of catches and pass interference penalties andhas the final say regarding the legality of kicks during kickoffs. The field judge, side judge, and back judge become the trail/back positions, and the referee, head linesman/down judge, and line judge then become the lead/front positions. They consist of the Head Referee, two Assistant Referees, and the final one who is referred to as the Fourth Offical. They usually are closer to the side the tight end is on. A yellow flag may be thrown onto the field by an official to signal a penalty. The XFL (2020) has adopted this.[29]. In some cases, the Fourth Offical is also the backup Head Referee. These looser-fitting pants allow for layering of warmer clothes underneath. One of the roles of the back judge is to make sure the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field. The back judge stands in the defensive backfield in the middle of the field. Umpires are responsible for watching over the line of scrimmage, counting the number of players on the field, reviewing player equipment, and marking off yardage for penalties. When it comes to the game itself, there are many different roles that need filling outside of the actual soccer team. In 2021, line judge Maia Chaka became the NFL's second full-time female on-field official. To become an NFL referee, you have to have at least 10 years of experience as a lineman. The field judge makes decisions near the sideline on his or her side of the field, judging the action of nearby running backs, receivers and defenders. [34] In 2015, Thomas became the NFL's first permanent female official. [25] Main responsibilities were to look for holding near the line of scrimmage. The field judge is responsible for keeping track of the play clock and calling a delay of game if the clock expires. So overall, the standard number of officials that are in a soccer game is four: the Head Referee, two Assistant Referees, and the Fourth Offical. Note: Years listed refer to season the official began or ended career in the NFL. Officials inspect each ball before the game to ensure proper inflation. The pressure difference is so small that it is difficult to account for it through environmental factors alone. For the 2016, 2017, and 2019 NFL preseasons, for 16, 5, and 2 games respectively, the NFL experimented with the middle judge (MJ). It depends on the games and cups themselves. The NFL's Football Officiating Academy in Carson, California. In college football, the side judge is responsible for either the game clock or the play clock, which are operated by an assistant that the side judge directs. The referee also counts offensive players. In 2020, the XFL has six female officials. National Federation of State High School Associations, Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, List of American Football League officials, List of National Football League officials, "Jerry Markbreit's answers: The former NFL referee answers readers' questions each week throughout the season", "AN NFL UMPIRE'S . You can find the Assistant Referees on either side of the touchline. The level of training and review in which NFL officials participate makes additional time redundant. [13][36] In 2017, she was an alternate in an NFL wild card game. Here are the rules for roughing the passer, Position of side judges, and Average salaries of NFL referees. [46] She is also the first openly bisexual official to work in a major professional football league and in college football. The game balls are then numbered one through twelve. This is particularly dangerous for fast players, because the force required to bring down a quarterback can be enormous. NFL Football Operations mission is to establish a culture of clarity, consistency and credibility in all aspects of the greatest game. The third official is a linesman, who has responsibility for certain important decisions involving offside and goalscoring opportunities. In addition to random testing and inspections, game balls are still inflated to a range between 12.5 and 13.5 PSI. Footballs are inflated to a pressure of approximately 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch. In any event, veteran officials can earn substantial salaries for their work. The seven different officials are the: referee, umpire, down judge, line judge, field judge, side judge, and back judge. Though they dont spend much time on the pitch, the Fourth Offical is a key part of the game and act as the glue of the four officials, keeping them all together and keeping the players calm and collected. Thomas didn't feel like she had room for advancement in the role. The NFL has launched an investigation into this process after reports surfaced that several balls were underinflated. Similar to the head linesman, he rules on out of bounds plays for his sideline. Signals are used to effectively communicate penalty calls in environments where it may be too loud to hear verbal communications. They also watch the sideline to determine if a player is in or out of bounds. Like the side judge and the field judge, the back judge rules on pass interference, illegal blocks downfield, and incomplete passes. Rules on pass interference of holding downfield in the area between the side and field judges. NFL officials make the largest paychecks and earn the highest pay per game. Any of the seven referees can throw flags onto the field. It was not until 2019 that the CFL finally mirrored this convention, which had also been in use at the lower levels of football in Canada; prior to this, the referee wore a black hat, with the other officiating crew members wearing white hats with a black bill and black piping. As the play develops, line judges are responsible for the action near their sideline, including whether a player is out of bounds. How many more months til' Football" In addition to that, the NFL requires teams to open six new footballs in their locker room two hours prior to the game, and they must be specially marked. In the NFL he is the backup time keeper if something happens to the clock. In its single aborted season in 2019, The Alliance of American Football's officials wore shirts that are black and white on top with stripes from the middle down, white stars on the sleeves and the number on the back and on the left front pocket. The head linesman keeps tabs on the chain crew and marks the chain to a yard marker on the field as a reference point for a measurement on the field. Terri Valenti became the first woman to officiate professional football when she began working United Football League games in 2009. This article is a list of American football officials who have experience working National Football League (NFL) games. As a result, they can earn up to half a million dollars per year if they work full-time. The referee is the head official and has the final say on any ruling. However, if you are a recent college graduate, it is possible to be promoted as a full NFL referee. In the red zone, the back judge is positioned in the center of the end line, so he does not have to climb the stands to reach downfield. In the NFL, the referee also has final authority on the score and the down number in case of any disagreement. If a team makes an unsuccessful challenge, they will be charged a timeout. However, it is important to note that you should be sure about your qualifications before applying. They also have the same responsibilities as the field judge, keeping track of the wide receivers on their side of the field and checking for out of bounds. The umpire also assists in ruling incomplete passes when the ball is thrown short. College football referee Lloyd Olds is credited with the idea after a quarterback mistakenly handed the ball to him. Hi, my name is Steven Anderson and I am passionate about all sports - from soccer to ice hockey, basketball to baseball. The following are the positions and responsibilities of each officiating positions. In addition to their regular work, NFL referees also take part in functions, attend training courses, and attend functions to keep their skills up. During punts and field goals, the referee observes the kicker (and holder) and any contact made by defenders approaching them. The line judge assists the umpire with illegal use of the hands and holding calls and assists the referee on false start calls. [32] Thomas later became the first woman to officiate a bowl game when she worked as a line judge during the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl between Marshall and Ohio. There is also one female replay official.[41]. Each of the officials roles works hand in hand with each other which means the Head Referee doesnt have to worry about being in a dozen places at once. [26] In the 2014 season, any conference that wanted to use the eight-official system could do so on an experimental basis. The back judge is also responsible for ruling a "delay of game" infraction if the play clock expires. LIFE IN THE WAR ZONE - For His Own Protection, This Official Must Read Defenses and Offenses; Draw Plays Are Murder", "Fashion statement: NFL refs to sport new uniforms", "NFL experimenting with putting umpire in offensive backfield", "NFL has a new name for the head linesman position: down judge", "Football so fast, complex: NFL adding sixth official", "Sixth N.F.L. This position was only used in the Eastern and Western finals and the Grey Cup. These reports led to the NFL changing its policy and procedures surrounding game balls. Three is the maximum number of challenges a team may use in a game. Using these prescribed mechanics ensures that the officiating crew sees all 22 players and their actions wherever they occur on the field. When the quarterback is struck with an arm, he may be considered to be a roughing the passer. Now, the Big 12 and SEC are planning to try eight-person crews for 2014. Runners or receivers can run into the end zone to score two points. In addition, NFL teams have specially prepped balls for their starting quarterbacks. In 1978, the NFL added a fifth official: the back judge. During each play from scrimmage, the referee is positioned behind the offensive team, favoring the right side (if the quarterback is a right-handed passer). They must contain at least 12.5 pounds of air and cant exceed 13.5 PSI. These rules are designed to protect the quarterback from injuries, and the penalties for this offense are not easy to defend. The NFL has made some changes to the rules regarding the handling of game balls. A ball number will be placed at the same location. The fourth official's assistance also includes: supervising the substitution procedure; checking a player's/substitute's equipment The umpire makes sure that the offense has no more than 11 players on the field and checks the legality of player's equipment. 1930. The NFL announced on Tuesday the hiring of 10 new on-field game officials for the . It is enjoyed by many different cultures and nationalities and it really brings people together to enjoy a good match. The New England game balls were checked again at halftime, and were still at the legal pressure. The NFL has also amended its rule book to emphasize second acts by defenders who hit the quarterback. There are 17 laws of the game that officials . Back judges cover the area in the middle of the field between themselves and umpires. The opponent's two-yard line is the first stop in a football game. Makes any announcements during the game like penalties or other clarifications. The back judge has the final say regarding the legality of kicks not made from scrimmage (kickoffs). The lower pressure makes them easier to grasp and catch. Officials' hats are occasionally used as markers. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. The umpire stands opposite the referee, also behind the line of scrimmage. [35] She entered as a line judge, and moved to the down judge (head linesman) role in her third season. Grantis Bell (2020-present) Back Judge. For the NFL, this was the sixth official, added in 1965. Located 20 yards behind the defensive secondary, the side judge is responsible for determining whether a play is an out-of-bounds or a penalty. The field judge was added in 1929 and the back judge in 1947. Prior to the snap, he counts all offensive players. In the NFL and CFL's seven-official system, the umpire is instead positioned in the offensive backfield where the center judge would be.