Rule 19 — Officials
Section 1 — Officials
Article 1 — Game Officials
The game shall be played under the supervision of seven officials: the Referee, Umpire, Down Judge, Line Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge, and Back Judge. In the absence of seven officials, the crew is to be rearranged according to the remaining members.
Article 2 — Jurisdiction
The officials' jurisdiction begins 100 minutes before the scheduled kickoff and ends when the Referee declares the final score.
Article 3 — Referee's Authority
The Referee is to have general oversight and control of the game. The Referee is the final authority for the score. If there is a disagreement between members of the crew regarding the number of down, any decision, or the application or interpretation of a rule, the Referee's decision will be final.
Article 4 — Responsibilities and Mechanics
Officiating responsibilities and mechanics are specified in the Mechanics Manual, published annually by the League.
Section 2 — Support From Replay Officials
Replay Officials may consult with the on-field officials to provide objective information regarding on-field rulings and the correct application of playing rules. In addition, if Replay Officials determine that a foul called on the field is flagrant, then they can instruct the on-field officiating crew to disqualify the player(s) who committed the foul. The determination that a foul is flagrant must be based on the available video provided on the television broadcast, and the Replay Officials must instruct the officiating crew to disqualify the identified player(s) before the ball is next legally put in play.