Bill Vinovich will be the referee for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 11 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. It will be the second time this season the Steelers have Vinovich as their referee, as he also worked the team’s Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets. The news was released by NFL Communications.
In that matchup, the Steelers were flagged just four times for 26 yards while the Jets were called for seven penalties, totaling 74 yards. In that game, Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey was flagged for a low block that gave the Jets a 15-yard gain. Following the matchup, Mike Tomlin spoke about the call and said he disagreed with it during his weekly press conference.
In total this season, Vinovich’s crew has called 130 penalties in nine games, for an average of just over 14 a game. They’re coming off working the Denver Broncos’ Thursday Night Football win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football, a game where 22 penalties were called, 11 against team.
Vinovich’s crew has flagged the home team 60 times compared to 70 for the away team. Their most-called penalty has been false start, with 27 penalties, followed by offensive holding with 25.
Pittsburgh Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. has struggled with defensive pass interference and defensive holding penalties against the Bengals and WR Tee Higgins, and Vinovich’s crew has called defensive pass interference 10 times and defensive holding five times. The ten defensive holding penalties are tied for the fifth-most among referee crews this season, while the five defensive holding calls are tied for the seventh-most.
Vinovich has earned a reputation as one of the NFL’s most respected referees, as he’s worked three Super Bowls. It will be the first time this season the Steelers will have a referee who has worked one of their earlier games, and even though the game was in Week 1, the Steelers at least go into the game knowing how Vinovich likes to operate. The Bengals have not had Vinovich as a referee this year.
Prior to working in the NFL, Vinovich began as a referee in the CFL, Mountain West Conference and Arena Football League. Vinovich is also a college basketball referee who has worked in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Vinovich was rated as the 195th-best referee in college basketball by KenPom, primarily working games in the WCC and Big West conferences.
Recommended for you