Phil Luckett
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phil Luckett is a back judge in the National Football League. His number is number 59. He entered the NFL as a field judge in 1991, was a referee from 1997-2000, and has since returned to the back judge position (the NFL switched the titles of back judge and field judge in 1998). Luckett is currently on a leave of absence from the NFL for the 2006 season. Luckett also refereed in the WLAF/NFL Europe, including being assigned World Bowl '97.
Contents |
[edit] Controversy
While in the NFL, Luckett has seen his share of controversy. Three of his most controversial NFL moments occurred within a span of fourteen months.
[edit] Thanksgiving, 1998
The first was an overtime coin toss on Thanksgiving, 1998 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions. The referee microphone picked up Pittsburgh captain Jerome Bettis calling "tails." The toss was "tails", and Luckett called the Lions as the coin toss winners. Bettis insisted that he had called "tails", and Luckett insisted that (Bettis) had called "heads-tails," meaning that Bettis said "heads" first. The Steelers argued the call to no avail and Bettis denied Luckett's claim. The Lions scored a field goal on their first possession of the overtime to win the game, and Luckett was vilified in the sports world.
Within a week, the game tape was enhanced, and Bettis is clearly heard saying "hea-tails." A sideline microphone enhancement also clearly had Bettis telling Coach Bill Cowher that (Bettis) had said "hea-tails."[1] According to NFL rules, a team's first call is the one the referee will use.
Because of this incident, the captain's choice of heads or tails is now called before the coin is flipped, and the referee will generally state it over his microphone so that there is no dispute.
[edit] Vinny Testaverde
The second was a late touchdown scored by Vinny Testaverde of the New York Jets against the Seattle Seahawks on December 6, 1998. Testaverde attempted a quarterback sneak on 4th down in the final minute of the game and although television replays clearly showed the football did not cross the goal line, Head Linesman Earnie Frantz ruled that Testaverde had scored. However, the Jets helmet design includes a football and replays suggest that Testaverde's head did cross the line, possibly confusing Frantz. At the time, the NFL did not use instant replay to review officials' decisions. Luckett, as the head of the officiating crew that day, received bad publicity despite not actually making the erroneous ruling. The call would be cited as a major reason why the NFL reinstituted instant replay the following season.
[edit] The "Music City Miracle"
The third was the Music City Miracle play during the playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans on January 8, 2000. A lateral pass (by rule, a backward pass) thrown by Frank Wycheck to Kevin Dyson enabled Dyson to run 75 yards for a game-winning touchdown. The Bills alleged that the pass was actually a forward pass, and thus an illegal play that would have virtually clinched the game for the Bills. Instead, Luckett, after checking the replay, ruled the pass was thrown parallel to the 25-yard line thus making it a backward pass and the touchdown stood. NFL Films, with computer assistance, later concluded that the pass was, once and for all, a lateral.
[edit] Joe Horn
Luckett was in the news again in 2001 when he failed to get out of the way and was run over by New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn as he streaked downfield for a pass from Aaron Brooks during the Saints' game against the Carolina Panthers.
[edit] Reference
- ^ Topp, Bill (1999-05). Heads or Tails?. Referee. Retrieved on 2007-03-17.
