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National Football League Game Officials Self-Rating of Knowledge in Neuro-Ophthalmic Principles and Practice: A Pilot
Nicole V Carrabba1, Joshua Ong, Ashtyn Z Vogt
1McGovern Medical School (NVC), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (JO), University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Dean McGee Eye Institute (AZV), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Texas A and M College of Medicine (NJP, HM, AGL), Bryan, Texas; University of Virginia (VAL), Charlottesville, Virginia; Department of Ophthalmology (EW), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital (EW), NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Human-Machine Perception Laboratory (PS, NZ, AT), Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada; Department of Ophthalmology (NAL, AGL), Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas; Departments of Ophthalmology (AGL), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Ophthalmology (AGL), University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (AGL), Houston, Texas; and Department of Ophthalmology (AGL), The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa.
Background:
To determine whether a neuro-ophthalmic curriculum would improve National Football League (NFL) game officials' self-rated knowledge and interest in neuro-ophthalmic principles to improve precision and accuracy of NFL play-calling.
Methods:
The formalized and structured neuro-ophthalmic principles (NOP) curriculum was introduced to 121 NFL game officials, 17 replay officials, and 4 officiating staff who attended the NFL Official Training Camp in Irving, Texas, on September 8 and 9, 2023. Before and after the lecture and videos were introduced, participants completed an optional hard-copy feedback form pertaining to self-reported NOP knowledge, likelihood of using said terms, and interest in future content of NOP applicable NFL officiating. Paired 2-tailed t tests were used for statistical analysis to directly compare the self-reported knowledge before and after the neuro-ophthalmic curriculum introduction.
Results:
One hundred forty-two participants completed the prelecture and postlecture feedback forms self-reported knowledge after the NOP curriculum was given to the NFL officiating staff. All (142/142) participants completed a survey. There was a statistically significant improvement in the mean ratings of the prelecture vs. postlecture understanding of the specific neuro-ophthalmic terms pertinent to NFL game officials (2.6 [95% CI, 2.3-3.0] vs. 7.9 [95% CI, 7.6-8.2], P < 0.001) and 2.7 [95% CI, 2.3-3.0] vs. 7.7 [95% CI, 7.4-8.0]), respectively. There was a statistically significant greater likelihood of using said terms prelecture vs. postlecture (2.9 [95% CI, 2.4-3.4] vs. 7.5 [95% CI, 7.2-7.9], P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This study found a statistically significant improvement in neuro-ophthalmic knowledge and a greater likelihood of using NOP terms following the NOP curriculum. NFL game officials, replay officials, and staff are interested in expanding their knowledge in the vision science of neuro-ophthalmic concepts and applications involved in play-calling. We hope that our pilot data will lead to a model of education that will improve the precision and accuracy of NFL play-calls by officials on game days.
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