National Football League Game Officials Self-Rating of Knowledge in Neuro-Ophthalmic Principles and Practice: A Pilot Program to Improve Precision and Accuracy of Game Official Calls

Nicole V Carrabba; Joshua Ong; Ashtyn Z Vogt; Nicholas J Panzo; Hamza Memon; Virginia A Lee; Ethan Waisberg; Prithul Sarker; Nasif Zaman; Alireza Tavakkoli; Noor A Laylani; Andrew G Lee

doi:10.1097/WNO.0000000000002129

National Football League Game Officials Self-Rating of Knowledge in Neuro-Ophthalmic Principles and Practice: A Pilot Program to Improve Precision and Accuracy of Game Official Calls

J Neuroophthalmol. 2024 Apr 25. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000002129. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Nicole V Carrabba¹, Joshua Ong, Ashtyn Z Vogt, Nicholas J Panzo, Hamza Memon, Virginia A Lee, Ethan Waisberg, Prithul Sarker, Nasif Zaman, Alireza Tavakkoli, Noor A Laylani, Andrew G Lee

Affiliation

¹ McGovern Medical School (NVC), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (JO), University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Dean McGee Eye Institute (AZV), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Texas A and M College of Medicine (NJP, HM, AGL), Bryan, Texas; University of Virginia (VAL), Charlottesville, Virginia; Department of Ophthalmology (EW), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital (EW), NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Human-Machine Perception Laboratory (PS, NZ, AT), Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada; Department of Ophthalmology (NAL, AGL), Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas; Departments of Ophthalmology (AGL), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Ophthalmology (AGL), University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (AGL), Houston, Texas; and Department of Ophthalmology (AGL), The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa.

PMID: 38659103
DOI: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000002129

Abstract

Background: To determine whether a neuro-ophthalmic curriculum would improve National Football League (NFL) game officials' self-rated knowledge and interest in neuro-ophthalmic principles to improve precision and accuracy of NFL play-calling.

Methods: The formalized and structured neuro-ophthalmic principles (NOP) curriculum was introduced to 121 NFL game officials, 17 replay officials, and 4 officiating staff who attended the NFL Official Training Camp in Irving, Texas, on September 8 and 9, 2023. Before and after the lecture and videos were introduced, participants completed an optional hard-copy feedback form pertaining to self-reported NOP knowledge, likelihood of using said terms, and interest in future content of NOP applicable NFL officiating. Paired 2-tailed t tests were used for statistical analysis to directly compare the self-reported knowledge before and after the neuro-ophthalmic curriculum introduction.

Results: One hundred forty-two participants completed the prelecture and postlecture feedback forms self-reported knowledge after the NOP curriculum was given to the NFL officiating staff. All (142/142) participants completed a survey. There was a statistically significant improvement in the mean ratings of the prelecture vs. postlecture understanding of the specific neuro-ophthalmic terms pertinent to NFL game officials (2.6 [95% CI, 2.3-3.0] vs. 7.9 [95% CI, 7.6-8.2], P < 0.001) and 2.7 [95% CI, 2.3-3.0] vs. 7.7 [95% CI, 7.4-8.0]), respectively. There was a statistically significant greater likelihood of using said terms prelecture vs. postlecture (2.9 [95% CI, 2.4-3.4] vs. 7.5 [95% CI, 7.2-7.9], P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This study found a statistically significant improvement in neuro-ophthalmic knowledge and a greater likelihood of using NOP terms following the NOP curriculum. NFL game officials, replay officials, and staff are interested in expanding their knowledge in the vision science of neuro-ophthalmic concepts and applications involved in play-calling. We hope that our pilot data will lead to a model of education that will improve the precision and accuracy of NFL play-calls by officials on game days.