Do NFL refs get fined for bad calls? League’s approach towards bad officiating explored

NFL refs are the singular most powerful individuals during a game, as they can alter a game's result with their performance. Most times, the NFL is spot on with the quality of their referees, with each game being handled by the best on the field. However, referees are human too, and sometimes egregious calls are made which radically alter the results of NFL games.

In such a situation, NFL refs aren't fined for bad calls, but the league has an alternative way of punishing such erring officials.

Rather than fine such a referee, the NFL simply removes such officials from postseason officiating duties. Like franchises, the highest-graded officials are rewarded by working postseason games. Those who have had subpar performances during the regular season will watch the playoffs from home like every typical fan.

Also, referees whose performances are worse than sub-par can be subject to demotion or remediation. League referees work on year-to-year contracts. So, if the NFL referees perform below expectations, they won't return for the following year.

How are NFL refs monitored?

According to a statistic derived from the NFL's official website, referees are accurate 98.9% of the time. However, it's not unusual to see fans get livid when a typically proper referee drops a poor performance when their favorite team is involved.

Not to worry, the NFL's officiating department reviews game-time action during a weekly evaluation process to make sure accurate calls are consistently being made.

The review process is all-encompassing, as all seven on-field officiating positions: referee, umpire, field judge, down judge, side judge, line judge, and back judge are reviewed.

Furthermore, an officiating supervisor will attend one game in person each week. Refs will receive a review early the following week and training videos regarding handling specific calls to ensure that the league's high standard is maintained.

Has an NFL ref been fired for a bad call?

The NFL is a multi-billion dollar industry that tries to maintain fairness among all its workers. Hence, it's rare for a referee to be fired for a bad call.

However, it's something that has happened in the past. One memorable example occurred in 2018 when the league fired referee Hugo Cruz after he missed a very obvious false start against one of the Los Angeles Chargers offensive linemen.

The Los Angeles Chargers went on to win the game 38-14 against the Cleveland Browns, and Cruz was reportedly fired the next day.