It’s become an every week phenomenon to showcase how bad the refs were in the National Football League. It might be a taunting penalty where the ref winds up making contact with the player or it’s a roughing the passer penalty where it looks like the defender is getting penalized for breathing on the quarterback, but there have been countless examples of bad calls throughout the league.
It’s debatable as to whether or not this is due to the referees themselves or it’s due to those higher up at the league office and the refs are merely being the messenger, but it’s clear that coaches and players aren’t happy about some of these calls.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll talked to reporters on Friday and had an idea to possibly improve officiating. And it’s not exactly a new idea.
“Absolutely they should be full time,” Carroll said. “Bud Grant knew that 30 years ago. He was clamoring for it forever.With all of the money that we spend and all that goes into this, my opinion is Bud’s opinion. I’m going to go with him. I’ve always thought that. It’s a big job. There’s a tremendous amount of responsibility. I know the guys got their own work, more power to them, but I would advocate that forever. The guys should be put together in the system, they should be trained in the offseason, they should be training young officials for the future, on and on and on. Help college, every level of it by doing so. I wish they would.”
Carroll mentioned Minnesota Vikings legend Bud Grant being in support of full time officials 30 years ago but Pete wasn’t even the only coach to suggest that this week. On Thursday, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton suggested the same thing on The Dan Patrick Show.
Given these are suggestions to improve the situation instead of simply venting after a game saying that the refs suck and they cost their team the game, it’s unlikely the NFL will fine either coach. That being said, it’s up to the NFL whether or not to go through with this idea and make their refs full time employees.
