The National Football League is adjusting its officiating assignments for Week 10 after a nationwide FAA ground stop caused significant travel delays.
As a result of the logistical challenges, the league has designated side judge Don Willard to referee two separate games on Sunday, “according to Yahoo Sports.”
Willard is scheduled to officiate the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts game at 1 p.m. ET.
Following that contest, he will travel 109 miles to Cincinnati to referee the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, “as reported by Bleacher Report.”
This unique scheduling situation marks the first time an official has been tasked with working two NFL games in a single day.
The league has been forced to shuffle its crews due to the widespread impact of the aviation grounding, “noted Touchdown Wire in its coverage.”
The physical demands on the official will be substantial, as he is expected to cover at least 120 minutes of professional football during the course of the day.
Observers have noted the unusual nature of the assignment, which requires travel between two different cities in a short window of time.
While the league has not officially commented on the specific travel arrangements provided to staff, reports suggest the official will be driving between the two venues.
The Sunday Night Football game remains on schedule despite the earlier logistical hurdles faced by the officiating department.
The NFL continues to manage the fallout from the FAA disruptions as it works to ensure all crews arrive at their respective stadiums in time for kickoff.
Fans and analysts are closely watching the unprecedented double-header assignment for the veteran side judge.
The league has not indicated if similar measures will be required for subsequent weeks of the season.
Officials typically work one game per week, making this specific adjustment a notable deviation from standard operating procedures for the organization.