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Former NFL Official Avoided Redskins’ Games for Years

If you have watched enough NFL football in your life, the name Mike Carey rings a bell. The former NFL referee, who served nearly two decades in the league, was among the most noticable and respected individuals blowing whistles when Sundays rolled around. 

The current CBS rules analyst has a story to tell. And it’s a story that everyone should pay attention to. According to a Washington Post report, Carey asked his employers (the NFL) that he not be assigned any Washington Redskins because of the team’s name. 

It just became clear to me that to be in the middle of the field, where something disrespectful is happening, was probably not the best thing for me.

Carey, who retired from officiating NFL games following last season, indicated that he did not officiate a single Redskins’ game since their playoff victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January of 2006.

The veteran of nearly two decades had this to say about how the NFL reacted to his request.

The league respectfully honored my request not to officiate Washington.

It’s an interesting dynamic. Carey took  a stance against the Redskins team name and asked not to officiate any of their games. What may be considered a slap in the face to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and Co. may have actually been a good thing for the team. By asking to be taken off assignments for their games, Carey made it clear that his bias wasn’t going to impact the job he was doing on the field.

In addition to this, it appears that Redskins officials had no idea about Carey’s demands, as the former NFL referee wanted to keep it under wraps. For Carey, it was more about the respect factor when it came to Snyder’s team.

In America, we’ve learned that respect is the most important thing that you have. I learned it from my parents, my schools, from my faith. And when you learn there’s something that might not be as respectful as you like, when you come to terms with it, you have to do something about it.

This just goes to show you how much the Redskins’ name controversy has impacted the league in a widespread fashion. Once an official refuses to work games for a specific team, it causes logistical issues for the NFL.

On a larger scale, it is yet another representation of someone close to the league having an issues with the Redskins team name. But of course, we don’t honestly believe Daniel Snyder cares.

Photo: CBS Sports

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