NFL referee Larry Smith is reportedly done for the entire 2026 season. Yeah, you heard that right, *done*. He suffered a nasty leg injury while officiating Sunday’s game, and it sounds like a brutal way to end your year early.
Wembley Wipes Out a Season
The incident went down during the Houston Texans’ nail-biter 34-31 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Smith slipped hard on the wet field over at Wembley Stadium. Get this: he was just trying to catch a ball from the sideline between plays during the first quarter. Instead of catching a pass, he caught an injury. He stayed on the ground, medical staff came out, and he eventually had to be carted off the field. The word on the street, per Football Zebras’ Ben Austro, is that it’s a torn quad. Man, that’s just tough luck from a slick field.
The Man Behind the Whistle
This was only Smith’s second season as an NFL referee. It is crazy to think about what these guys do on the side. When he is not rocking the stripes and calling plays, Smith has a full-time gig as a middle school principal in Kansas City. So, it is not like he can just kick back with endless rehab. He has been around the game for a while, too, previously officiating at the college level in both the Big Ten and MAC, plus he has USFL experience.
Talk about a brutal break for Smith, an injury during an international game on a slick field. We are talking a season-ender for a guy who balances this demanding NFL role with being a middle school principal. Here is hoping for a speedy recovery for him.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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