Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski has called on the league to impose penalties on referees, using the phrase "put the referees on a pedestal" to emphasize his point. The comments were reported by Yahoo Sports on October 30, 2026.
Gronkowski, a four-time Super Bowl champion, criticized the current state of officiating and suggested that referees should face consequences for poor performance, similar to how players and coaches are held accountable.
