Decoded: The NFL’s Officiating Problem and The Rampant Increase In In-Game Fines

It’s no secret that the NFL is a lucrative business. With billions of dollars in revenue and profits every year. But it also has a dual problem, which is getting worse and could severely hamper the game’s future. The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is complicit in this binary mess. This double-trouble though has one single source, the NFL itself.

The NFL has an issue at its hands. An issue that has the quality, fairness, and consistency of the game at stake. An issue that has been brewing for years. An issue that has outraged and frustrated many, also causing the epidemic of ever-increasing game fines. An issue of officiating in the games.

The NFL and its deep pockets

Just last year, the NFL generated a revenue of approximately $18.6 billion. But it still does not want to hire permanent referees. The NFL is the only major professional sports league in the world that does not employ full-time officials. Instead, the league relies on part-time referees with other jobs and commitments outside of football. These referees are hired on a game-by-game basis and are assigned to different crews and locations every week.

These refs are in turn not paid enough to make a living from officiating. So, they do not receive the same level of training, evaluation, and feedback as full-time officials, which has created a major issue of increasing in-game fines and not-so-great calls. Both of which are affecting the games.

The mammoth 161% increase in fines could also suggest, the NFL’s hyper-protective nature in today’s day and age. The NFL has increased the emphasis on player safety. Especially when it comes to concussions and head injuries. Still, the in-game fines are influencing the player’s behavior, including the bad calls.

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Roger Goodell, the NFL, the refs, and 2023 bad calls

In Week 6, in a game between the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos, a pass interference penalty was called on the Packers’ CB. The Broncos edged out the game, winning 19-17. But the replay showed that the CB did not make any contact with the Broncos’ receiver and that the penalty was unwarranted.

This is just one of the many instances where the referees have made mistakes, missed calls, or been inconsistent in their rulings. The NFL has acknowledged some of these errors in 2023. However, any significant steps have not been taken to address the root cause of the problem: the lack of permanent referees.

The NFL needs to invest in its referees and treat them as integral and valuable members of the league. Will Roger Goodell step up and address the issue? What are your thoughts on this issue? Let us know in the comments.

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