Jurisdiction

In American football, jurisdiction refers to the area of responsibility of a specific official or group of officials on the field. Each official is assigned specific duties and areas of the field to cover to ensure that the game is played according to the rules.

There are several officials in American football, each with their area of jurisdiction:

• Referee: The referee is responsible for the overall supervision of the game, and has jurisdiction over all officials. They have the final say on any disputed calls or rule interpretations.
• Umpire: The umpire is responsible for the line of scrimmage and the immediate area surrounding it. They monitor player safety and enforce penalties related to illegal contact on the line.
• Linesman: The linesman is responsible for the sidelines and the down markers. They monitor player positioning and enforce penalties for illegal formations or motions.
• Line judge: The line judge is responsible for the other side of the field from the linesman, monitors player positioning, and enforces penalties related to illegal formations or motion.
• Back judge: The back judge is responsible for the deep area of the field and the end zones. They monitor pass interference, illegal contact, and other penalties related to the passing game.
• Side judge: The side judge is responsible for the area between the back judge and the linesman or line judge. They monitor player positioning and enforce penalties for illegal formations or motions.

Each official’s jurisdiction overlaps with the others to ensure that all aspects of the game are monitored and enforced.