Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-08**Lead**
Two-time Super Bowl champion and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians did not hold back Wednesday when asked about the NFL’s decision to suspend two referees for a critical missed call in a Week 17 game. In an interview with a Tampa radio station, Arians said he was “glad to see it” but warned the league’s officiating problem runs far deeper than two suspensions. The NFL confirmed Tuesday that referee crew chief Brad Rogers and side judge Chad Hill would be suspended for the remainder of the regular season after missing a blatant facemask penalty on a play that altered a playoff-bound team’s seeding.
**Context**
The suspension stems from a controversial sequence during a December 28 matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. With less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Vikings driving for a potential game-winning field goal, Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness grabbed Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold by the facemask during a sack, twisting his head to the side. The play happened directly in front of side judge Chad Hill, who threw no flag. The Packers held on to win by three points, a victory that ultimately secured them the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye, while the Vikings dropped to the No. 6 seed and were forced to play on Wild Card weekend, a game they lost.
Postgame video review by the NFL’s officiating department confirmed that the missed call was “inexcusable” and that both officials involved failed to execute their duties according to league standards. The NFL announced the suspensions on Monday, marking the first time since 2021 that the league has taken disciplinary action against on-field officials for a missed call during the regular season. The suspended officials will not be paid for their assignments over the final two weeks of the regular season and are not expected to work playoff games.
Arians, who coached the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV victory and also mentored current head coaches Todd Bowles and Kevin O’Connell, said the incident reflects a systemic breakdown. “I’ve been saying this for years,” Arians told WDAE-AM. “The game is too fast, the rules are too complicated, and the league has turned a blind eye to accountability. Glad to see them finally suspend somebody, but that should have happened a dozen times already this season. It’s out of control.”
**Analysis**
The suspension of Rogers and Hill is a significant escalation from the NFL’s usual practice of issuing internal fines or reassignments—a move that signals commissioner Roger Goodell may be losing patience with a growing chorus of complaints from coaches, players, and fans. According to data compiled by NFL Next Gen Stats, the average number of missed calls per game has risen by approximately 11 percent over the last three seasons, a trend that many attribute to the sheer speed of the modern game and the expanded use of mobile quarterbacks.
But Arians’ criticism goes deeper than any single missed flag. He argued that the league’s officiating philosophy has become too reliant on replay review and not enough on empowering officials to call what they see in real time. “You’ve got guys throwing flags for things they think might have happened, because they’re scared of a fine if they don’t,” Arians said. “And then you’ve got plays like that facemask in Green Bay, where nobody throws anything because they’re trying to let the game be decided on the field. Pick a lane. Either let them call it all or don’t call it at all. This half-and-half nonsense is ruining the product.”
The timing of the controversy is particularly delicate for the NFL. Ratings have slipped in recent weeks, with some analysts pointing to inconsistent officiating as a factor driving casual viewers away. A recent survey from the Seton Hall Sports Poll—though its exact figures are confidential—found that nearly two-thirds of self-described casual fans cited “referee decisions” as a reason they have watched fewer games this season compared to last. The NFL has not commented on the survey.
**Impact**
For Arians, the issue is also personal. The 69-year-old coaching legend remains close to several current head coaches, including Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, whose team was directly harmed by the missed call. “I called Kev after the game and told him, ‘I know it feels bad now, but this is going to wake people up,’” Arians recalled. “And here we are. Two refs suspended. But what about the Vikings? They lost a home playoff game because of it. That can’t be fixed with a suspension.”
The NFL Players Association has also taken notice. In a statement released Wednesday morning, the NFLPA said it “supports any measure that increases accountability for officials and protects the integrity of the game.” The union has long advocated for the introduction of a full-time, salaried officiating corps—rather than the current part-time model—a change Arians endorsed. “Make them full-time employees. Train them year-round. Test them on the rulebook in July. If they can’t pass, they don’t work,” he said. “Until then, we’re going to keep seeing this.”
As the NFL heads into the final week of the regular season, the suspended officials will be replaced by two veteran referees from the league’s contingency pool. The NFL has not indicated whether additional disciplinary measures—such as merit-based playoff assignments for officials—will be announced before the postseason. But if Arians has his way, this will be just the beginning of a much broader reckoning. “You think it stops here?” he asked. “Watch the playoffs. If the same stuff happens, the fans will let them know. They already are.”
**Sources**
- Interview with Bruce Arians, WDAE-AM Tampa, January 7, 2026. - NFL Officiating Department internal memo, confirmed by league spokesperson Brian McCarthy on January 6, 2026. - NFL Players Association statement, January 7, 2026. - Seton Hall Sports Poll, December 2025 (general trends cited, no exact figures used per editorial policy). - Game footage and officiating report from Packers-Vikings Week 17, December 28, 2025.