National Football League

NFL Referees Still too much of the Story: That Ain't Right

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

NFL referees make nearly $200,00 on average. Congrats if you are one. Working 20 Sundays making 10-grand a shot is great work if you can get it even with the prep time. To make that money referees have been partially encharged with keeping the “game safe” by commissioner Roger Goodell, who wants taunting penalized readily, more for perception of safety than anything tangible. So far there have been 13 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties called in two weeks of action compared to 24 all of last year. Wow. That is a shift and a clear directive from the league offices.

Here comes the problem that will continue to show itself unfortunately. The Cleveland Browns were driving down five and appeared to have advanced to the Ravens’ 10-yard line with 20 seconds remaining. They got their after a 20-yard pass to Terrelle Pryor who got up and most likely tried to flip the ball to side judge Allen Baynes, but the ball hit Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb’s helmet. Head linesman Wayne Mackie ran over and threw the flag for taunting, guessing Pryor had intended to hit Webb. NFL and sports fans want the players to decide the game. Not a referee making a guess call to try and get taunting out of the league and keep the “game safe”. Mackie, Baynes and others will need to use their head when deciding to make such judgments in the future, but will only be empowered by the league to strictly follow the rules basically having to risk their jobs to do what is right. That ain’t right.