This past year, there has been extreme controversy in the NFL regarding referees. Whether it be misinterpreting a play or missing a penalty call, the actions of referees in the National Football League leads fans to question whether referee bias is more prominent than it was in the past. How can these bad refs ruin the outcome of a seemingly even game?

As times have changed, so too has NFL playing styles. Across the NFC and AFC, football used to be dictated by running, but is now more focused on passing. The changes of the style of the game changes its intensity. In recent years, more variety in play calls has led to more flags and penalty calls on the field. This has ultimately brought more attention to referees and the development of technology to determine the outcomes of games. 

In some cases, a bad call can ruin a game. In Super Bowl 57, a controversial holding call on James Bradberry of the Philadelphia Eagles locked in the victory of the Kansas City Chiefs. The score was tied at thirty five and the Chiefs had the ball on third down in the Eagles’ territory. The Chiefs needed to run the ball and to reach field goal range while running down the clock so as to not give the Eagles a chance to score. However, the Eagles defense put up successful stops on the first two downs, leading to a desperate situation for Kansas City. On third down and eight yards, with one minute remaining, Chiefs player Juju Smith-Schuster ran a hitch-and-go play and was supposedly held by Bradberry, a defensive back. As a result of this, the Chiefs were awarded a first down, and they ended the game with a thirty three yard field goal. 

The style of football is inevitably changing, leading to more penalties and more pressure on referees to make the right calls, as one wrong call can upend games for players and fans. 

“Referees ruin a lot of good games nowadays,” said sophomore Emily Hock.

 Indeed, the referees should not influence the outcomes of games at the last minute; they should just let players play the game. As the sport continues to evolve, so too must the officiating.