Ron Winter
Encyclopedia
Ronald J. "Ron" Winter is an American football
official
in the National Football League
(NFL). Winter previously served as a football official for the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA).
Winter has officiated in the NFL since the 1995 season; he wears uniform number 14 (previously #82, 1995–1997). Winter's 2011 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Tony Michalek, head linesman Julian Mapp, line judge Gary Arthur, field judge Scott Steenson, side judge Tom Hill and back judge Richard Reels.
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
. He retired at the end of the 2007–08 school year after having served for more than 38 years.
returned to the head linesman position and Gary Lane
returned to the side judge position.
and San Francisco 49ers
Wild Card playoff game played January 5, 2003 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Officials apparently forgot that New York's Rich Seubert
, a guard who had lined up legally in a receiver's spot, was an eligible receiver.
Seubert was grabbed and pulled down by Chike Okeafor
on a botched field goal attempt while going downfield to receive a pass. The back judge, Scott Green
was the downfield official, thus this was his play to cover, but he had to scramble from the goalpost to get into position to cover the play. Green, not knowing that Seubert was eligible, did not throw a flag to signify the penalty. Instead, the Giants were called for having an ineligible man downfield on the play (guard Tam Hopkins, who had crossed the line of scrimmage during the play).
Late in the game, Giants' safety Shaun Williams
was ejected for throwing a punch at 49ers' offensive lineman Jeremy Newberry
.
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue
described the situation as the most disappointing officiating blunder he'd seen in his years as NFL commissioner and announced that officiating mechanics surrounding field-goal attempts and last plays of games would be changed.
As a result of the incident, Winter did not officiate a Giants game during the 2003, 2004, or 2005 seasons. The next Giants game he worked was a Monday Night Football
game on November 20, 2006 between the Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars
at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
official
Official (American football)
In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). Winter previously served as a football official for the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA).
Winter has officiated in the NFL since the 1995 season; he wears uniform number 14 (previously #82, 1995–1997). Winter's 2011 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Tony Michalek, head linesman Julian Mapp, line judge Gary Arthur, field judge Scott Steenson, side judge Tom Hill and back judge Richard Reels.
Personal
Winter was a physical education professor at Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
. He retired at the end of the 2007–08 school year after having served for more than 38 years.
NFL career
He entered the NFL as a line judge in 1995, and later was promoted to referee in 1998 after Dale HamerDale Hamer
Dale Hamer was an American football official in the National Football League from 1978 to 2001, with a break taken for health reasons during the 1995 season. During his 23 seasons in the NFL, Hamer was assigned to officiate in two Super Bowls, as a head linesman in Super Bowl XVII and in Super...
returned to the head linesman position and Gary Lane
Gary Lane (American football)
Gary Owen Lane was an American football quarterback and American football official.After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois in 1961, Lane played college football at the University of Missouri from 1963 to 1966 and later in the National Football League for...
returned to the side judge position.
2002 NFL playoffs
In his first playoff assignment as a referee, Winter and his officiating crew were involved in a controversial finish to a New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
Wild Card playoff game played January 5, 2003 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Officials apparently forgot that New York's Rich Seubert
Rich Seubert
Rich Seubert is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants out of Western Illinois University in 2001. Seubert lives in Wayne, New Jersey.-High school career:...
, a guard who had lined up legally in a receiver's spot, was an eligible receiver.
Seubert was grabbed and pulled down by Chike Okeafor
Chike Okeafor
Chikezie Russell Okeafor is a professional American football player. During his National Football League career from 1999 to 2009, he played defensive end and linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Arizona Cardinals....
on a botched field goal attempt while going downfield to receive a pass. The back judge, Scott Green
Scott Green (American football official)
Scott H. Green is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1991 NFL season. He has officiated Super Bowls XXXVI in 2002, XXXVIII in 2004, and was the referee for XLIV in 2010....
was the downfield official, thus this was his play to cover, but he had to scramble from the goalpost to get into position to cover the play. Green, not knowing that Seubert was eligible, did not throw a flag to signify the penalty. Instead, the Giants were called for having an ineligible man downfield on the play (guard Tam Hopkins, who had crossed the line of scrimmage during the play).
Late in the game, Giants' safety Shaun Williams
Shaun Williams
Shaun LeJon Williams is a former American football safety, most recently for the Carolina Panthers, of the National Football League. Williams attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California and played both tailback and safety. He won All-CIF Division I and Del Rey League MVP in his...
was ejected for throwing a punch at 49ers' offensive lineman Jeremy Newberry
Jeremy Newberry
Jeremy David Newberry is a former Center in the National Football League . He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
.
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue
Paul Tagliabue
Paul John Tagliabue is a former Commissioner of the National Football League. He took the position in 1989 and was succeeded by Roger Goodell, who was elected to the position on August 8, 2006. Tagliabue's retirement took effect on September 1, 2006. He had previously served as a lawyer for the NFL...
described the situation as the most disappointing officiating blunder he'd seen in his years as NFL commissioner and announced that officiating mechanics surrounding field-goal attempts and last plays of games would be changed.
As a result of the incident, Winter did not officiate a Giants game during the 2003, 2004, or 2005 seasons. The next Giants game he worked was a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game on November 20, 2006 between the Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.