Former NFL Ref Says League's Officiating Department Is 'Underfunded and Understaffed'

NFL referees have faced a wave of scrutiny over the past few years, but the job isn't as easy as it looks.

"The officiating department is totally underfunded and understaffed," Scott Green, a former NFL official with 22 years of experience, told Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic.

Green worked nine years as a referee and is the current executive director of the NFL Referee Association (NFLRA), the officials' union.

Kahler explained that the NFL sent a memo to teams last month announcing structural changes to the league's officiating department with the hiring of two vice presidents and the addition of three former officials to the department's staff. The moves were made "as part of our ongoing Officiating Improvement Plan," but Kahler noted that the memo "didn't explain the plan's details."

In April, Walt Anderson vacated his position as the head of the officiating department after serving in the role for the last four seasons. His departure left a hole at the top of the department and created questions about leadership, especially considering that there have been six different heads of the department over the last 20 years.

Per Kahler, the NFL opted not to hire another senior vice president to replace Anderson and co-chair the department with incumbent senior VP Perry Fewell and instead created the two lower-level VP positions that would report to Fewell. The two positions reportedly listed a salary range of $215,000-315,000, providing another example for those who believe that the league isn't spending enough to staff the officiating department.

"Put it in the top 10 (of league office salaries)," former head of officiating Dean Blandino said. "It's not even in the ballpark. When the commissioner is making $50 or $60 million, the delta is the Grand Canyon-plus."

The lack of clarity as to who will be in charge of the department has created frustration among officials. Former department head Mike Pereira was adamant about the significance of the position.

"It's the second most important job in the league," Pereira said. "I don't give anybody beyond the commissioner a more important position than the head of officiating. You are dealing with the game and with the coaches and the GMs. If they trust you, you are dealing with the media. You are the face."