The potential role of retinal slip in National Football League (NFL) officiating and its effect on on-field decision making: mechanisms and countermeasures

Abstract

Visual processing involves numerous neuro-ophthalmic pathways that enable humans to perceive and interact with the world. These visual pathways can negatively impact visual perception and decision-making. The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) is a compensatory mechanism that stabilizes gaze on a target during head movement, such as running or turning. However, inadequate VOR stabilization can lead to retinal slip, reducing visual acuity. In the National Football League (NFL), officials require exceptional visual training and performance. NFL officiating utilize rapid visual processing, strategic movements, and precise judgement to make accurate penalty calls in real-time. Retinal slip can adversely affect play calling and penalty assessment by NFL officials. Despite these challenges, NFL officials achieve high precision and accuracy in up to 98.9% of plays. To maintain such high standards, the NFL has implemented a standardized curriculum to mitigate the effects of VOR and retinal slip. This manuscript outlines the basics of VOR function and explores countermeasures to minimize retinal slip in NFL officiating. We believe that these scientific endeavours can improve both penalty assessment accuracy and precision. The use of these general principles might also be potentially applicable to other sports.