Ref needs glasses? Not anymore. Lasik company offers free procedures for referees
The officials missed not one, but two apparent penalties on one key play late in the Cincinnati Bengals-Baltimore Ravens showdown Thursday night that could have cost Joe Burrow and Co. the game.
That came just two weeks after the officials appeared to have missed another crucial call at the end of the “Thursday Night Football” game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Rams that could have altered the outcome.
Can anything be done about all these referees who appear unable to see what’s happening right in front of them?
The folks at Lasik.com, seeing a golden opportunity to promote their services, have stepped forward to help. The company is offering free corrective eye surgery for NFL officials as well as for anyone who is in such a capacity for a number of other U.S. sports leagues.
Are professional referees upset about the Lasik promotion? A representative for the union representing NFL referees did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As Matthew Stafford keeps passing quarterbacks in record books, he’s thrown Rams into playoff race with three consecutive victories ahead of Miami game.
The program is called “Better Vision, Better Calls.” And, yes, it’s legit.
“Yeah, it is real,” Eddy Gilfilen, a marketing director for Lasik.com, told The Times. “It is completely complimentary as long as they are an official referee across the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, USNT, WNBA, MLS and NWSL, so really just the top major women’s and men’s professional leagues.
“If a referee is deemed a safe candidate, they are absolutely, fully covered, including drops and any other extra charges they might have.”
Gilfilen said the company’s network of providers have already treated numerous referees across multiple leagues through the promotion.
But, that’s not all: Anybody who nominates an official whose eyes seem to need fixing will receive $1,000 off their own Lasik procedure.
“We’ve had hundreds of nominations over the last couple weeks,” Gilfilen said.
The program was launched in May, but it didn’t receive much attention until after the Vikings-Rams game Oct. 24 at SoFi Stadium.
With less than two minutes left in the game, Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold was tackled in the end zone for a safety, giving L.A. the ball and a two-score lead. Replays showed that Rams linebacker Byron Young had illegally grabbed Darnold’s facemask in making the play, but the play couldn’t be reviewed and the Rams went on to a claim a 30-20 win.
The Chargers have won two in a row and play the Titans at home. The Rams have a three-game win streak and get a Monday night visit from the Dolphins.
Later that night, Lasik.com took to X and posted a photo of the play, with the caption “Better Vision. Better Calls” and a link to the offer in the comments.
Suddenly, people noticed.
“Really the first kind of lift that we saw was from that Rams game,” Gilfilen said. “That was the first campaign where it really kind of took off and we’re like, OK, we gotta figure out a way to keep the momentum going.”
That opportunity came Thursday night, after the Bengals pulled to within 35-34 with 38 seconds left in the game and opted to go for a two-point conversion and the likely win. But Burrow’s pass to receiver Tanner Hudson fell incomplete and sealed the Ravens’ win, as the officials did not throw flags on the apparent pass interference and roughing the passer penalties against Baltimore.
Afterward, Lasik.com posted a video of the missed interference call, along with a friendly reminder: “Obviously, we’re still offering NFL refs free LASIK.”
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