An NFL official suffered a season-ending injury across the pond this past Sunday in London, a tough break for a guy in his first year on the big stage. Umpire Larry Smith, part of referee Shawn Hochuli’s crew, is officially out for the rest of 2026 after tearing his quadricep, according to FootballZebras.com. Talk about a brutal way for a rookie season to come to an abrupt halt.
Wembley’s Turf Takes a Toll
The incident happened during a game at Wembley Stadium, and it sounds like a nasty one. Smith reportedly slipped on the wet grass, falling hard on his back. He tried to get back up, but couldn’t keep his footing, falling again between plays. It’s a stark reminder of how quickly things can change on the field, even for the officials. Trainers from both teams rushed to his side, and eventually, he had to be carted off the field. You never want to see that for any player, let alone an official just trying to do his job.
A Rookie Season Cut Short, A Crew Left Scrambling
This injury is especially tough for Smith because this is his first season ever officiating in the NFL, coming up after several years working in college football and other spring leagues. Now, he’s forced to the sidelines, and won’t be able to work another game until 2027. For the rest of Sunday’s game, Hochuli’s crew was down to just six officials, with the remaining guys having to split up Smith’s umpire responsibilities. It definitely adds another layer of challenge to an already demanding job. The NFL will now have to find a replacement umpire to join Hochuli’s crew for the rest of the season, though the league typically has officials lined up for these kinds of mid-season needs. It’s a big loss for the crew and a tough pill to swallow for Smith, who was just getting his NFL career rolling.
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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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