Considered to be the top back judge in the league, Green was involved in a controversial finish to a New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers Wild Card playoff game played January 5, 2003. Green and the officials apparently forgot that New York's Rich Seubert, a guard who had lined up legally in a receiver's spot, was an eligible receiver. Seubert appeared to be interfered by a San Francisco defender on a botched field goal attempt while going downfield to receive a pass. Since Green was the downfield official, this was his play to cover, but had to scramble from the goalpost to get into position to cover the play. Green, not knowing that Seubert was eligible, did not throw a flag to signify the penalty. Instead, the Giants were called for having an illegal man downfield on the play. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue described the situation as the most disappointing officiating blunder he'd seen in his years as NFL commissioner [1] and announced that officiating mechanics surrounding field-goal attempts and last plays of games would be changed [2].
He became a referee on a part-time basis during the 2004 NFL season when referee Johnny Grier was injured. Green became a full time referee at the start of the 2005 NFL season. Green's first experience as an NFL referee came on October 3, 2004 during a game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.
Green's 2009 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Butch Hannah, head linesman Tom Stabile, line judge Tom Symonette, field judge Dyrol Prioleau, side judge Larry Rose and back judge Scott Helverson.
Pittsburgh Steelers - San Diego Chargers game
Green was involved in another controversial finish during a game he was officiating between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers on November 16, 2008. With Pittsburgh leading San Diego 11-10 and only five seconds left in the game with the Chargers on their own twenty yard line, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers completed a short dump pass to running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who shoveled it back to wide receiver Chris Chambers in a desperation attempt to keep the play alive with a series of pitches. Chambers promptly attempted a seemingly legal lateral that was batted down and recovered by the Steelers' Troy Polamalu, who took it into the end zone for a touchdown that would have ended the game with the Steelers ahead by eight points. Upon review by Green and his crew, however, one of the laterals involved in the play (Green was ambiguous as to which one) was deemed an illegal forward pass and ruled dead, officially ending the game in an 11-10 Steelers victory. While this had no bearing on the official outcome of the game, the dubious call led many fans and commentators to question the call as the game's betting line had the Steelers favored by 5 1/2 points, meaning the botched call caused all bets placed on the Steelers to be losing ones.[3] Green himself conceded that he and his crew made the wrong call following the game.[4] The incident has prompted the NFL to discuss "potential administrative improvements for replay that would help to prevent this type of mistake in the future."[3] Green's officiating in the game was also controversial for the imbalance in penalties called by Green and his crew (13 penalties for 115 yards on the Steelers; 1 penalty for 5 yards against the Chargers).[5]
