Officiating in the National Football League (NFL) is not a job for the faint-hearted. It is something that requires a lot of attention and responsibilities. An NFL official has the duty to carry out the game smoothly, and a lot depends on the calls made by him or her.
It is most definitely not an easy job, and sometimes, as viewers, we tend to get angry when an obvious error is made by the officiating crew. However, it is also important to remember that real-time action is a lot quicker, and referees usually don’t get the same view as we do.
With slo-mo technologies and different camera angles, for us, it becomes easy to assess the problem. But that is not the case for the officials who see it at first glance. Wrong calls are made, and that is an aspect that is part of the game and will always remain due to the human touch.
However, recently, in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers on December 4, a wrong call was made, which has infuriated many. When Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted a pass toward wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine appeared to be making a tackle before the ball arrived.
The Kansas City Chiefs staff and players immediately demanded a foul for pass interference, but it was not awarded to them. It was a blatant foul and should have been awarded to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Green Bay Packers eventually won the game 27-19, and the officiating crew has been under immense scrutiny ever since.
NFL referee Brad Allen gets blasted by disappointed fans
The officiating crew, which was led by referee Brad Allen, has been heavily criticized. Fans are not at all happy with them and demand better officiating. Many said that the poor quality of the referees in the NFL is ruining the sport and demanded accountability. Most fans also targeted Brad Allen and wanted him out of the officiating crew.
The crew that officiated the Packers-Chiefs game, led by referee Brad Allen, has been under scrutiny for missed calls as it prepares to work today’s Texans-Jets game.https://t.co/yFfgziVFOm
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 10, 2023
What is even more surprising is that Brad Allen was previously suspended while officiating college football. This decision was taken by the CFB(College Football Association) for poor refereeing. This begs to ask the question as to why is he present in NFL games?
This wrong call was even pointed out by former NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino. He said that this was one of the most obvious non-calls made since the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints. This puts into perspective how important that foul call was, as it is the minute things that make the difference on the big stage.
While many people might think that the NFL officiating crew is in a safe-guarded position, that is not the case. The officials are evaluated after every game based on the number of correct calls they made as well as the ones they got wrong. Based on this, ratings are given to the officiating crew, and those with the highest rating will be put in charge of the high-intensity knockout stage.