Jeff Triplette, the much-criticized referee who worked Saturday’s Titans-Chiefs game, has reportedly decided to call it a career.
Triplette has told people around the league that he is retiring from the officiating business, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network reports.
Saturday’s apparent career finale was not a good performance by Triplette, who drew criticism from former head of officiating Mike Pereira and had clearly angered Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
Triplette became an NFL field judge in 1996 and was promoted to referee in 1999. He is remembered primarily for his mistakes, including accidentally injuring Browns offensive tackle Orlando Brown’s eye with a weighted penalty flag, and making a replay error in a 2013 Bengals-Colts game, leading the NFL to change the replay process to give the league office input.
Off the field, Triplette has a reputation as a good man who is well liked by those who know him personally. He is a retired Army colonel who was awarded the Bronze Star for his service during the Gulf War.