By Lisa Zimmerman, Player Engagement Insider
NFL players, coaches and officials have relationships built on necessity. These relationships are generally congenial, but there is no mistaking that the officials are often on one side, while the players and coaches are on the other. At the same time, there is no one who knows the ins and outs of football better than those who’ve played it. And yet, in years past it was extremely rare to see a former NFL player become an official. That’s starting to change.
In 2013, then-NFL Director of Officiating David Coleman (currently the vice president of officiating for the Pac-12 Conference) was contemplating ways in which to further develop the available pool of officials. A light bulb went off and he suddenly realized that former players were a completely untapped resource.
“It was part of the solution to the situation that I identified in my time in officiating (at the NFL),” Coleman said. “It was like many businesses where there’s an aging workforce with a need to develop new talent to take over for people who were retiring.”
That same year the Football Officiating Academy (FOA), was launched. Several former players were identified as being potential candidates and they were invited to participate in the annual Tom Beard’s Officials Football Clinic. While their NFL connection does not give them a short cut per se, former players tend to move up more quickly in the officiating ranks because of their existing, deep knowledge of the game.
“When we look for potential officials, we look for everybody,” Coleman said. “People who are athletic and who love and know the game, are smart and have integrity. But, that population of former NFL players we had just reached out.”
Two retired players currently making their way in the world of officiating are Nate Jones and Chris Crocker.
Jones, who played cornerback for eight years (Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots), first became intrigued in 2012 following the NFL referee lockout. It was the first time he had really paid attention to the officials on a bigger scale. Jones had retired from the NFL following the 2011 season and when one of his friends made an off-handed comment that maybe he should look into being an official, he realized it was something he wanted to do. When the 2013 program was launched, he jumped on board.
In less than three years, Jones has moved quickly and currently is part of the NCAA’s Conference USA.
“Usually there is a long arduous path to whatever level you get to,” he said. “But, it was determined that if guys could play at that high level they might not have to go through the long journey most other officials have to go through. The [former players] are proving they know a lot about the game so let’s move them along faster.”
Former safety Chris Crocker (Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings) became involved in officiating prior to the launch of the NFL program. It was an interest that started early in his playing career, but he didn’t know how to get started. The officiating season begins in February so in 2011, Crocker researched and found clinics he could attend and began serving as an official for events like spring football when he had the time away from his NFL responsibilities. Then a conversation with someone at the league office led him to Coleman who invited him to the Tom Beard clinic and things took off from there. He currently works in the SIAC conference with the goal of getting to a larger college conference.
“The FOA is just a tool that will help us navigate these things,” Crocker said. “They steer us to what high school associations to join. They give us a blueprint. It’s up to us to put in the leg work and make good on it. The FOA does do things like NFL mini camps and we can shadow an official. Then in preseason you may be invited to sit in the replay booth or shadow someone. You’re really getting hands-on experience.”
Both Jones and Crocker currently work as back judges, which they are well-suited for as defensive backs and which requires similar skills such as back-pedaling and being able to see the back end of the field clearly. In addition, officiating requires attention to detail in much the same way that playing does.
Officials often do their own film study, reviewing other officials and what makes them effective and successful in their roles.
For both Jones and Crocker their life-long involvement with, expertise of, and love for, football now gets to continue in another capacity.
“And,” Jones added with a chuckle, “The great thing is, we don’t care who wins.”