The NFL reassigned three backup officials to serve as referees for Sunday’s Week 10 games after Friday’s nationwide FAA ground stop disrupted air travel.
Umpire Duane Heydt will referee the Carolina Panthers–New Orleans Saints game. Umpire Barry Anderson will referee the Jacksonville Jaguars–Tennessee Titans game. Side judge Don Willard will referee the Miami Dolphins–Indianapolis Colts game at 1 p.m. ET, then drive about 110 miles to referee the Pittsburgh Steelers–Cincinnati Bengals game at 8:20 p.m. ET.
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Each of the league’s 17 officiating crews has a designated backup referee trained year-round to step into the referee role when necessary.
Friday’s FAA ground stop — the longest nationwide halt in 25 years — resulted from new technology added to the national air traffic control system. It led to spotty communications and radar coverage. More than 2,000 flights were canceled, and airlines worked Saturday to recover.
The ground stop was the second since the September 11, 2001, attacks, according to The Associated Press.
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