NFL referee debacle costs everyone, except the NFL
Monday Night Football's controversial game-ending play between the Packers and Seahawks is only the latest flap involving the NFL's use of replacement referees. And it's starting to get costly for just about everyone, except the league itself.
Start with the regular referees, who haven't taken the field because of a contract dispute with the NFL. As the lockout drags into the fourth week of the regular season, the聽NFL referees have reportedly lost about $50,000 apiece so far.
Some coaches are also taking salary hits as frustration mounts over the ineptitude of the league鈥檚 replacement referees.聽
Denver Broncos coaches Jon Fox and Jack del Rio were dunned $30,000 and $25,000, respectively, for 鈥渧erbally abusing鈥� the refs during their team鈥檚 Monday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.聽Three more coaches are 鈥渦nder investigation鈥� by the league for their behavior in Week 3.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick joined the fray Sunday night. Trying to get an official鈥檚 attention after a questionable game-ending field goal in the Patriot鈥檚 loss to the Ravens, an exasperated Belichick pawed at the referee鈥檚 collar as he ran past. Touching a ref is a huge no-no; If Belichick were a player, he鈥檇 be suspended. As is, he鈥檚 probably looking at a steeper fine than Fox or Del Rio (many analysts guess he鈥檒l pay $50,000).
John Harbaugh, the Ravens head coach, is also taking heat 鈥� and a likely pocketbook hit 鈥� for arguing with officials during that game. In a separate Sunday game, Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag for berating a ref after a bad 鈥渇alse start鈥� call on his offense, followed by some serious clock mismanagement. Shanahan released a statement saying he 鈥渁cted the wrong way,鈥� and probably faces a stiff fine from the league.
All of this was just prelude to last night's fireworks, when the refs handed the Seattle Seahawks a contentious Monday night win over the Green Bay Packers.
On the last drive of the game, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson fired a hail Mary pass into a crowded end zone, intended for receiver Golden Tate. Packers safety M.D. Jennings looked to have intercepted the pass, but then Tate, who had shoved one Packers defender to the ground with both hands (offensive pass interference, or it should have been), then latched onto the ball in Jennings鈥� hands. Both men came down with it, and the officials ruled it a game-winning touchdown for Seattle.
Players, coaches, and analysts 鈥� involved in the game and not 鈥� were livid. 鈥淚鈥檓 not talking about the officials,鈥� Packers head coach Mick McCarthy began his post-game press conference, before adding, "Very hard to swallow. I have never seen anything like that in my time in football."
Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden called the game 鈥渢ragic鈥� and 鈥渃omical.鈥� At the risk of league fines, several Packers players vented their frustrations on Twitter. 鈥�13th man beat us tonight,鈥� Tom Crabtree tweeted. After a series of profanity-laden tweets, Packers guard TJ Lang dared the NFL: 鈥淔ine me and use the money to pay the regular refs.鈥�
鈥淚 love this league and love the game of football, but tonight鈥檚 debacle hurts me greatly,鈥� tweeted Saints quarterback Drew Brees. 鈥淭his is NOT the league we鈥檙e supposed to represent.鈥�
Even politicians are getting involved: Following the Packers loss, Wisconsin state Sen. Jon Erpenbach tweeted NFL Comissioner Roger Goodell鈥檚 phone number, and the message, 鈥淚f tonight鈥檚 game doesn鈥檛 make the NFL settle with the real refs this season will be a joke.鈥�
Fans are paying, too, with both their time and money. Games that should take three hours to complete are taking closer to four, as replacement refs take longer to discuss calls, correct bad ball placements, and reverse rulings. This morning, ESPN Sports business writer Darren Rovell reported that the game ending call in Monday night鈥檚 Seattle win shifted between $150 million and $250 million in money that NFL gamblers had riding on the game.
The only party not paying a price, it seems, is the only party that can end it: the NFL itself.聽 In its first two weeks, Monday Night Football ruled the cable ratings, topping 10 million viewers each time. Sunday night鈥檚 Patriots-Ravens game on NBC had more viewers than ABC鈥檚 Primetime Emmy Awards. And the referee debacle has everyone talking about the NFL, even overseas media outlets. Though Goodell and the NFL are losing the public relations battle, they aren鈥檛 losing much else.
And as long as the players keep playing and the fans keep watching, it may stay that way.
