Shutdown Corner - NFL

Shutdown Corner

Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:16 am EDT

Expect helmets on officials in the not-too-distant future

By MJD

Over the weekend, Chase detailed the mauling of an unfortunate NFL official, Richard Reels, when he got caught in the midst of a Percy Harvin(notes) kick return. Tight end Jeff Dugan(notes) wanted to block for Harvin, and ended up laying the wood to Reels, a back judge.

It happens a few times a week, with varying levels of severity. An official will get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and suddenly, he's got armor-clad, 280-pound, highly conditioned man-beasts stampeding at him like he's drunk in Pamplona on the wrong weekend. Meanwhile, he's protected by a hat.

Not for much longer, perhaps. Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that helmets on umpires is an issue on the table for 2010, and last night on the NFL Network, NFL head of officiating Mike Pereira reiterated that protecting officials is an issue the league is looking at.

If we just put helmets on umpires (the brave gentlemen you'll find out there right behind the linebackers), that wouldn't have done much to help out the back judge who got trampled in the Steelers/Vikings game. Should we make helmets mandatory for umpires and optional for everyone else?

And what kind of helmet are we talking about? NHL, Dan Marouelli-style? Do we need facemasks? Should they just get black-and-white striped NFL helmets? Something like boxing headgear? Perhaps an MLB batting helmet? Race car driving helmets? I think something like this would be kind of awesome.

I don't know the answer here. Maybe we should just keep a list of NFL players who run into officials, intentionally or otherwise. Then at the end of the week, they get locked into a room with Ed Hochuli, whose fists are wrapped in double-sided tape and rolled through broken glass.

That seems like the fairest thing for everybody.

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60 Comments

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  1. Thilo N
    1. Posted by Thilo N Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:31 am EDT

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    I would vote for an NHL style helmet. Anything with a facemask would just cut down on visibility, which would lead to worse officiating. Although, the last helmet, the silver knight one would be hillarious.
  2. Thilo N
    2. Posted by Thilo N Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:31 am EDT

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    I would vote for an NHL style helmet. Anything with a facemask would just cut down on visibility, which would lead to worse officiating. Although, the last helmet, the silver knight one would be hillarious.
  3. Oliver Klosov
    3. Posted by Oliver Klosov Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:47 am EDT

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    MJD... do us all a favor, unplug your keyboard.... then, keep typing away!!!
  4. Dhampir
    4. Posted by Dhampir Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:07 am EDT

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    Perhaps we're a little too obsessed with safety.
    In the future, refs will hover over the game on little platforms (with OSHA mandated railings at slightly above waist level) with forcefields protecting them from flying balls.
    But until then, the occasional maiming of a ref isn't that big of a deal.
  5. brian b
    5. Posted by brian b Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:08 am EDT

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    IF those pansies need helmets any type will do. I don't want to see any comments about helmets obstructing the refs view because they often get the play wrong anyway. Thank god for instant replay.
  6. Paul91
    6. Posted by Paul91 Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:42 am EDT

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    A hockey helmet would definitely be the best choice... they are probably going to be the lightest helmet you can find that will fit the head the best. As a hockey player myself, I can vouch for the protection one offers.
  7. RyanL
    7. Posted by RyanL Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:59 am EDT

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    Yes of course they need helmets!! Football players have doubled in size, strength and speed over the past 50 years, and the refs are still the same. Am I the only one that thinks that the perfect helmet would be the type they use on reality TV shows (that have some sort of physical competition), and it would be awesome if they had helmet cams built in, so that would could see an instant replay of EXACTLY what the ref saw!! So to sum up, optional helmet cams for all refs, except Ed Hoculi (and his dog) because they are beasts!!
  8. brian b
    8. Posted by brian b Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:20 am EDT

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    dude players use to wear leather helmets. honestly I don't think they really need helmets. They usually get knocked down or hit with the ball but they all get back up. Has a ref ever been hospitilized? THe guy this article was about was able to walk off the field and if you look at the play he was just pushed to the ground. Put your arms out homie. Even my daughter knows to put her arms out when falling to the ground. Protect the face and head.
  9. First L
    9. Posted by First L Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:03 pm EDT

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    Wow ! They should've been wearing them for years,and they talk about safety on the field, how ironic !
  10. MatthewS
    10. Posted by MatthewS Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:23 pm EDT

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    Kind of a geek thing, but I am thinking Star Wars stormtrooper gear for everyone but the head ref who would get to put on a spiffy Darth Vader replica. It would definitely provide a whole new atmosphere for the game.
  11. Max_Powers
    11. Posted by Max_Powers Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:27 pm EDT

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    They should wear the helmets that handicapped youngsters wear. Nice wide foam ones.
  12. A A
    12. Posted by A A Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:34 pm EDT

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    A dunce cap would be fitting, past three years have been chock full of questionable calls from refs.
  13. Dj
    13. Posted by Dj Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:36 pm EDT

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    the hockey helmet is a good idea.. and the camera is even better.. good idea there RyanL..
  14. Seth
    14. Posted by Seth Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:37 pm EDT

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    #8, has your daughter ever been hit in the back by a 250 pound guy running at full speed, when she wasn't expecting it? It's hard to "put your arms out" when you've got a third of a second to react before you face plant.
    What's the harm in giving the referees helmets? So refs don't get seriously hurt very often, if ever, in the NFL. So what? The potential for a ref getting hurt is there, even if it hasn't happened, and there's no harm in them wearing helmets. A hockey helmet would work just fine for them.
  15. toml
    15. Posted by toml Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:50 pm EDT

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    no helmets just replace them with new ones
  16. toml
    16. Posted by toml Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:50 pm EDT

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    no helmets just replace them with new ones
  17. bsat162
    17. Posted by bsat162 Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:59 pm EDT

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    A beanie with a prop on top that spins...it`ll match their throw back uniforms
  18. bsat162
    18. Posted by bsat162 Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:00 pm EDT

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    This way they already look like idiots when they make a bad call
  19. bsat162
    19. Posted by bsat162 Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:00 pm EDT

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    This way they already look like idiots when they make a bad call
  20. swanson
    20. Posted by swanson Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:07 pm EDT

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    I think the NFL should make 15 Clones of Ed Hochuli and let him umpire each of the games....Each one would have bye weeks off and just tell him the Broncos and Chargers aren't playing this year!
  21. Zach Scott
    21. Posted by Zach Scott Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:39 pm EDT

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    The refs don't need helmets, they just need to get out of the way. A better understanding of play development would help them get into a better and optimal position. How many times has the umpire in the middle of the LB's gotten in the way of a crossing WR? How many times has an umpire blocked a tackler because he was out of position? I think if a ref or ump interferes with a pass or tackler the play should be ruled dead or down at the spot of the interference.
  22. Steve M
    22. Posted by Steve M Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:41 pm EDT

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    Don't see why this is even a debate. A hockey style helmet allows perfect visibility but protects the head from the worst injuries. Umpires might still get their noses bloodied or bones fractured in a severe collision, but those are recoverable injuries. Severe head injuries aren't.
  23. j king baby
    23. Posted by j king baby Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:06 pm EDT

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    i thought that #8's comment was absolutely hilarious. "Put your arms out homie. Protect the face and head."
    LOL such a true statement.And then Seth, #14, asks if his daughter has ever been hit. The body doesnt need that much time to react and put the hands out. Football players due it everyday. Its not like they have ungodly reaction times. The refs run around with them and they can put their hands out.
    But if there had to be a helmet, hockey helmet would probably be good i agree

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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