Four NFL officials are hitting the road from Indianapolis to Cincinnati today, taking a 110-mile drive to do something we haven’t seen in the league since 1970: work two games in one day. Seriously, this is absolutely wild.
Unprecedented Travel Chaos Hits the League
The chaos hitting the NFL today is all thanks to Friday’s nationwide ground stop, which threw a wrench into all the usual travel plans. The league had to get super creative with its officiating assignments, and this “road trip” is the result. Backup referee Don Willard, umpire Terry Killens, field judge Jabir Walker, and side judge Justin Larrew are the guys making this unprecedented journey. They are piling into a car and heading from Indy to Cincy, all for the love of the game, or more likely, because the NFL needs them there.
Two Games, One Day: A Referee Marathon
These four officials are tasked with officiating two games in one day, a feat we have not seen an official do in over 50 years. They are working both the Dolphins-Colts game and then turning right around for the Steelers-Bengals matchup. You gotta wonder how sharp they’re gonna be for that second game after doing a whole one already and driving 110 miles. People are already questioning this “extreme plan” if there are any glitches, and you know there’s a reason the league usually sticks to its crews. The full scope of just how much they ripped up the typical crew assignments won’t even be public until the official Game Books are posted after the games.
This is not your typical Sunday, folks. Keep an eye on those game books later, because if any weird calls pop up, we’ll know exactly why. What a day for the officials, man.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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