The Minnesota Vikings’ game against the Green Bay Packers will have a different referee than originally scheduled after a nationwide air travel disruption prompted the NFL to adjust its officiating assignments.
On Friday, November 13, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop across the United States that lasted about four hours. A telecommunications breakdown affected air traffic control towers nationwide, leading to postponed and canceled flights. The FAA lifted the ground stop Friday evening, and flights gradually resumed.
To help officials reach their games without relying on air travel, the NFL reassigned some referees to matchups closer to where they live. For the Vikings-Packers game at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Clete Blakeman replaces John Hussey as referee. Backup referee Don Willard is scheduled to work two games: Miami at Indianapolis at 1 p.m. ET and Pittsburgh at Cincinnati at 8:20 p.m. ET.
The Vikings’ trip was considered less vulnerable to disruption because Minneapolis is about a four- to five-hour drive from Green Bay. If needed, the team could have traveled by bus along Interstate 94 on Saturday. The Vikings are expected to fly to Green Bay as planned, and the game is set to take place at its regular time.
