NFL has fired some of its worst officials

[iced]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/08/nfl-has-fired-some-of-its-worst-officials/

The NFL has fired some of its worst officials.

Although NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino wasn’t quite that blunt in confirming it today, Blandino said “we moved on from” some officials who weren’t up to snuff.

“If an official isn’t performing up to the standards then they won’t be in the NFL,” Blandino said.

Blandino declined to name the officials who won’t be back, but those names are expected to become public soon.

“I won’t get into specific names. We are going to publish the roster toward the end of the month so you can look at the roster and probably figure it out,” Blandino said.

Asked how the NFL determined which officials won’t be back, Blandino said the officials are closely tracked, and if they’re consistently near the bottom of the league in their grades, they won’t be retained.

“Any official, in any competitive arena, could have a poor season, so one season may not necessarily cause us to terminate an official,” Blandino said. “But if it becomes a trend, multiple seasons, we have a tier-based ranking system, the third tier being the lowest performers. Once they enter Tier 3 we put them in an enhanced training regimen and put them in that program, and if we still don’t see improvement, that’s when we move on.”

Blandino said officials are assessed on decision making, the calls they make and calls they should have made but didn’t, as well as physical fitness and the ability to keep up with the fast pace of play in the NFL.

The league also terminated several officials last year, and Blandino said the NFL’s officiating improved.

“I think we saw that officiating was better not just because of the turnover, I think it’s overall the differences in terms of what we’re doing from the training perspective,” Blandino said. “The scrutiny is so high at this point, we really are asking more of them.”

That’s as it should be. NFL players and coaches routinely get fired if they don’t perform well enough. Officials are no different.




View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GZqa57O6wA

 

[ChrisW]

we have a tier-based ranking system, the third tier being the lowest performers. Once they enter Tier 3 we put them in an enhanced training regimen and put them in that program, and if we still don’t see improvement, that’s when we move on.”

Sounds more complicated than I gave them credit for.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Bout time.

 

[Rmfnlt]

The league also terminated several officials last year, and Blandino said the NFL’s officiating improved.
“I think we saw that officiating was better not just because of the turnover, I think it’s overall the differences in terms of what we’re doing from the training perspective,” Blandino said. “The scrutiny is so high at this point, we really are asking more of them.”
Well, if they did (fire some last year), it sure was kept quiet to me...

And that last quote? He's in denial.

 

[LumberTubs]

Make them professional. Give the poor buffoons a chance

 

[jjab360]

“Any official, in any competitive arena, could have a poor season, so one season may not necessarily cause us to terminate an official,” Blandino said. “But if it becomes a trend, multiple seasons, we have a tier-based ranking system, the third tier being the lowest performers. Once they enter Tier 3 we put them in an enhanced training regimen and put them in that program, and if we still don’t see improvement, that’s when we move on.”

Simple, but more accountability than I gave them credit for.

 

[Stranger]

Wait, so they fired ALL NFL Officials?

 

[brokeu91]

If Jerome Boger is not one of them, then they're all lies

 

[Legatron4]

It won't help. The problem is the head officials. Like Ed Hochuli and others. They control how the crew calls the game. They fire officials every year.

 

[Stranger]

It won't help. The problem is the head officials. Like Ed Hochuli and others. They control how the crew calls the game. They fire officials every year.

agreed. it's a PR move.

 

[-X-]

we have a tier-based ranking system, the third tier being the lowest performers. Once they enter Tier 3 we put them in an enhanced training regimen and put them in Rams games.

Fixed.

 

[Legatron4]

Fixed.

 

[CoachO]

I have been saying this has been in place all along. I have been a NCAA Division I Baseball umpire for 25 years, and you would be surprised by the amount of crossover there is with officials from other sports. I personally know guys who have been NFL officials, as well as a couple who are currently. The evaluation policy of the NFL is extensive. There are seven officials on the field for every game. Each and every one of them are "graded" on every single play, regardless if they make a call or not. Positioning and mechanics are as big a part of the evaluation as judgement.

As someone who has also served as a Supervisor of Umpires for a Professional Minor League, this sort of program is common. As Blandino explained, each official is ranked and those who tend to fall into the bottom tier, are put on notice. Show improvement or your days are numbered. This has been the case for years, it just isn't ordinarily made public. That Blandino felt inclined to even discuss this, tells me that the league felt the need to do a little damage control. They just survived a work stoppage a couple of years ago, combined with all the emphasis being put on safety, which leads to much more "judgement" based interpretations from the officials, the NFL has a PR problem as it pertains to officiating and this is their attempt to address it.

 

[RamFan503]

we have a tier-based ranking system, the third tier being the lowest performers. Once they enter Tier 3 we put them in an enhanced training regimen I specially designed inside one of Jerry Jones' buses and then put them in Rams games to gauge the results.

Fixed.

Further fixed.

 

[CoachO]

It won't help. The problem is the head officials. Like Ed Hochuli and others. They control how the crew calls the game. They fire officials every year.

The Referee is only the most visible part of the crew, but he has no more authority on how the "crew" officiates a game.

The "problem" isn't with the on field officials. The problem is with the way the league wants games officiated. This is a direct correlation to the concussion lawsuit and all the rule changes that have been made to "protect" the players. All that does is force the officials to error on the side of caution. Take the McLeod hit in the Denver game. That was shown to be a "bad" call, but under the current directives of the NFL, one that understandably is going to be made.

The "roughing the passer" penalties are the biggest culprit, and again, are all safety based. So instead of blasting the individual officials, IMO, place the blame on the NFL and the way they continue to put more on the officials.

 

[Selassie I]

So there are actually some refs who are NOT in Tier 3? Is that what I was reading there... Bullshit

I recommend that every single one of them be required to graduate from this "Enhanced Training Regimen". Each and every off season. Otherwise they aren't qualified and need to be shown the door.

 

[rdlkgliders]

NFL has fired some of its worst officials

Is anyone left? After last year I can't imagine they have enough to fill out a crew for each game

 

[ramfan46]

Jeff Triplette better be one of em!

 

[Fatbot]

I would be more excited to hear FOX fired Mike "I've always been a Niner fan" Pereira, so we wouldn't get his fudged explanations poisoning the ignorant millions watching TV. (Never forget!)

 

[den-the-coach]

Number One on the Hit List!