NFL referees hold a lot of power and responsibility on the field. Their job is to enforce the rules and regulations of the game fairly and accurately. However, they are human and inevitably make mistakes. When refs make bad calls or miss penalties, it can directly impact the outcome of games. Naturally, this leads fans, players, and coaches to criticize referees when they feel a call was botched. This begs the question – what consequences do NFL refs face when they mess up?
Do NFL referees get fined for bad calls?
Unlike NFL players and coaches, referees do not get fined for mistakes or questionable calls during games. The NFL rulebook does not contain any policies about fining referees for errors. So there are no direct financial consequences for referees who botch calls. However, that doesn’t mean refs face no repercussions for poor performance.
Accountability measures for NFL officials
While refs don’t get fined, the NFL does have accountability measures in place to evaluate officials and address subpar work. Here are some of the main ways NFL refs can be held responsible for mistakes:
- Downgraded performance reviews – Referees are reviewed after each game by the officiating department. If an official makes too many mistakes in a game, they receive a poor performance review. This can impact their future game assignments and playoff eligibility.
- Suspensions – For major errors or a pattern of incompetence, the NFL can suspend a referee for a period of time. This temporarily bars them from working games as punishment for poor performance.
- Fired – In extreme cases, the NFL may fire referees who demonstrate an inability to competently officiate games.
NFL grading system
The NFL officiating department grades referees in a detailed way after every game. They look at:
- Each penalty call – Was it the right decision and properly administered?
- Missed penalty calls – Should a foul have been called but was missed by the crew?
- Spot of the ball – Was each spot accurate and correct?
- Out of bounds calls – Did the crew properly judge out of bounds plays?
- Use of instant replay – Did the ref use replays effectively when needed?
- Game administration – Did the crew maintain proper pace of game, player conduct, etc?
- Overall performance – How well did the officiating crew work together and maintain control?
Using these criteria, the NFL gives officials both a letter grade and numeric score for each game. The top performers are eligible to work playoff assignments and the Super Bowl. So while refs don’t get fined for mistakes, their paychecks and postseason opportunities are impacted by poor grades.
Are referees held accountable for specific bad calls?
Sometimes a referee makes an egregiously bad call that directly impacts a game. Are they specifically held accountable for these critical errors after the fact?
The answer is – it depends. The NFL may conduct an internal review of the bad call and opt to suspend or fire the ref if it revealed incompetence or misconduct. However, there is no automatic process to discipline refs for blown calls. The officiating department grades the overall performance, not isolated mistakes. So a ref could make a horrendous call but not necessarily face direct consequences if the rest of their performance was solid.
How are NFL referees selected and trained?
Becoming an NFL ref takes years of experience and training up through the college, semi-pro, and CFL ranks. All NFL officials must attend an annual training camp where they are evaluated on:
- Rules knowledge
- Mechanics and positioning
- Physical fitness testing
- Ability to work cohesively in a crew
- Game situations and role playing
In addition, returning refs review film of their previous season and work on areas needing improvement. Training strives to improve consistency across crews and prepare them to officiate at the highest level. However, mistakes still inevitably happen despite intensive training.
NFL ref pay scale
NFL referees are paid very well for their work. However, they do not earn much more for working playoff games versus the regular season. Their payscale is:
| Years of NFL Experience | Regular Season Game Fee | Postseason Game Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 0-5 years | $10,000 | $11,900 |
| 6-10 years | $16,500 | $18,700 |
| 11+ years | $21,000 | $23,800 |
So veteran referees make slightly more for working playoff contests. But the base pay does not change drastically compared to regular season work. There are no substantial bonuses or increased pay for the Super Bowl.
Controversial non-calls
Here are some of the most controversial non-calls by NFL refs that were widely criticized but resulted in no discipline for the officials:
- Fail Mary (2012) – Refs missed an obvious offensive pass interference penalty on Seattle’s game-winning touchdown over Green Bay.
- 2015 NFC Championship – No flag was thrown on a late hit that concussed QB Kurt Warner and likely altered the game outcome.
- 2018 NFC Championship – A blatant defensive pass interference on the Rams was not called, allowing LA to beat New Orleans.
- 2019 NFC Championship – Another non-call on defensive pass interference against the Rams was widely panned by fans and analysts.
All of these non-calls had major impacts on crucial games, yet the referees faced minimal repercussions.
Botched calls that were acknowledged
In some cases, the NFL will publicly acknowledge a refereeing mistake. But only when it is too obvious to ignore. Examples include:
- 2018 AFC Championship – Two refs were downgraded for erroneously throwing a flag for a phantom roughing the passer penalty on Tom Brady.
- 2020 Week 5 – Referee Tony Corrente was criticized by the NFL for his exaggerated penalty call on Chicago’s Tarik Cohen.
- 2021 Week 11 – Refs were reprimanded for mistakenly allowing extra time to run off the clock at the end of the Ravens-Bears game.
So while officials may face internal criticism, public discipline is rare unless an error is exceptionally clear and impactful.
Are some referees more error prone than others?
Like any job, some NFL refs are simply better at their work than others. Studies have shown data indicating that certain referees make more mistakes or receive poorer grades over their careers. For example:
- Ed Hochuli – Well respected for his muscular physique, but had a reputation for long-winded penalty explanations holding up the game.
- Jeff Triplette – Consistently ranked near the bottom in referee grading over his career.
- Walt Coleman – Called “the worst ref in the league” by Sporting News in 2010 for his high error rate.
- Bill Leavy – Had an infamously poor Super Bowl performance in 2006 that furthered allegations of officials impacting outcomes.
However, the NFL does not provide official data on referee accuracy or error rates. So fan analysis of officials relies on memory of visible blown calls rather than statistical data.
Are crews reviewed and held accountable as a unit?
Officiating mistakes often result from breakdowns in crew coordination and communication, not just individual errors. So the NFL emphasizes grading and training crews as cohesive units. Performance reviews analyze how well crews worked together and adjustments are made to personnel groupings and team dynamics when needed. There is accountability for both individual refs and crews as a whole.
Does the NFL implement any rule changes after bad ref mistakes?
Sometimes officiating errors are the catalyst for new rules or procedures. For example:
- Instant replay review was first introduced in 1986 after refs botched a critical call on a Jets touchdown.
- Coaches can now challenge pass interference after a missed call likely altered the 2018 NFC Championship outcome.
- Extra point plays became reviewable after refs awarded a Seattle TD off a botched kick in 2013.
So while individual refs may not face discipline, their mistakes can lead to league-wide changes designed to prevent a repeat in the future.
Are referees reprimanded privately?
The NFL keeps internal critiques and communication with officials private. So refs could receive fines, suspensions or firings that are not made public. An official who suddenly disappears was likely dismissed quietly. But due to confidentiality, problem refs are often disciplined behind the scenes with no public announcement.
How refs can get better
Minimizing officiating mistakes should be a priority for the NFL. Here are some ways accuracy could improve:
- Full-time refs – Make officiating a year-round job with more rigorous training throughout the offseason.
- Increased use of replay – Allow for more frequent reviews and use of video to fix mistakes in real time.
- Younger refs – Bring in younger, fitter officials with better vision and reaction times.
- Advanced technology – Leverage chips in balls and equipment to provide more objective data rather than human judgment alone.
- Transparency – Openly share referee grades, training progress, demotions, etc to build public trust.
Do fans have any say in ref discipline?
Unfortunately for frustrated fans, they have no direct role in holding referees accountable for poor performance. Fans can complain loudly on social media, but the NFL officiating department has full authority over evaluating and disciplining their employees. Any fines, suspensions, firings or grading is handled privately within the league office. However, intense public outrage over a blown call can potentially pressure the NFL to make transparency and policy changes.
Conclusion
In summary, NFL referees face limited direct consequences for bad calls or mistakes. There is no system of fines levied against them. The accountability measures in place include performance evaluations, downgraded grades, suspensions, and in severe cases termination. The NFL strives for consistency and competence through training and grading but does not take punitive measures for specific errors. In the rare cases where discipline occurs, it is handled privately behind the scenes. Ultimately, fans and commentators can criticize referee mistakes publicly but have no power over internal league processes. Despite controversies and complaints, the officiating department maintains full authority over their employees.