The NFL faced a lot of scrutiny during the 2022 season, which was largely due to concerns with officials.
Even though there are plenty of opportunities to use instant replay, the league only allows certain plays to be reviewed.
With this in mind, fans were upset with several missed calls, which potentially cost their team a victory.
Whether it is because of fan outrage or another reason, there have been several officials leaving the NFL during the offseason, per Warren Sharp.
we are seeing a mass exodus of NFL refs & officials
we've seen 12 leave this offseason
most since 2013
it's just the 2ND TIME IN NFL HISTORY that double digit refs/officials left the NFL in consecutive years
surely beautiful reffing to follow next season
per @footballzebras
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 18, 2023
Sharp called this a “mass exodus,” as 12 have left during the offseason.
By his calculations, this is the largest exit since 2013, and only the second time in league history to see double-digit officials leave the NFL in one offseason.
The state of the league could be in trouble, as Sharp indicates.
This is oddly reminiscent of the 2012 NFL season when there was an official lockout, and replacement referees were used for several weeks.
Many fans were disgruntled over the quality of officials, who had their hand in many games.
If the league is unable to find replacements for the beginning of the 2023 season, fans could find themselves in a similar spot.
There is a greater concern for higher-quality refs in 2023 than there was in 2012, given the wider range of sports gambling.
Sports gambling has become more and more legalized throughout the United States and is a multi billion-dollar industry.
If poor referees are in change of game outcomes, fewer people could place wagers on games, considering a wider range of outcomes.
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