If you ask fans, players, and coaches, you’d probably hear that the NFL has had a major officiating problem in recent years. Some of the referees’ perceived incompetence in recent seasons has come from rules that are overly generous to offenses, especially quarterbacks.
However, referees deserve some responsibility for making massive mistakes in costly moments as well, and the league seems to agree, according to Pro Football Talk.
Second-year umpire James Carter, third-year line judge Robin DeLorenzo, and first-year down judge Robert Richeson are three officials that the NFL has decided to fire and send back to the collegiate level, according to the outlet.
Fans reacted to the news on social media.
“If they can’t make the right calls at this level, how can they make the right calls at any level? The slower the game? Send them back to pee wee and have them prove themselves all over again,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“I can’t think of a better thing for the sport than creating a culture of accountability for officials. The next best thing would be to pay them more,” one fan added.
“Why is Ron Torbert not on this list?!” someone else wanted to know.
IT’ll be interesting to see if referees being fired for poor performance becomes more normal across American professional sports.