NFL and Refereess Reach Tentative Agreement
The NFL and and the NFL Referees Association have agreed to a contract that will send referees back to the field this weekend, according to NFL.com.
The NFL and and the NFL Referees Association have agreed to a contract that will send referees back to the field this weekend, according to NFL.com.
By now, even non-football fans have heard about the officiating debacle in last night's showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks (just check your Facebook feed). Facing a 12-7 deficit with just seconds left to play, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson rolled out of the pocket and threw a desperation heave into the end zone, resulting in a game-clinching interception for the Packers.
Except it wasn't. Instead, the NFL's much-maligned replacement officials inexplicably ruled the play a touchdown for the Seahawks, ignoring an obvious offensive pass-interference penalty and cementing the phrase "simultaneous catch" into the lexicon of poor sports officiating.
This screw-up will, hopefully, lead to the return of the real refs—but let's not forget that they too have made their share of awful calls over the years. Here's a look at some of the NFL's most controversial officiating decisions:
As the labor dispute between the NFL and the referees’ union continues, criticism of the replacement officials has been going on for weeks and has only gotten louder after a blown call on 'Monday Night Football' gave Seattle a 14-12 win over Green Bay.
How bad have things gotten for the NFL?