NFL Umpire Larry Smith Out for Season After Wembley Stadium Injury
The official tore his quadriceps muscle following a non-contact slip on the turf during a game in London.
NFL umpire Larry Smith will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a torn quadriceps muscle during a game at Wembley Stadium in London. The injury occurred during the Texans-Jaguars matchup on Sunday.
Smith slipped on the turf in a non-contact play and was visibly in pain as he attempted to stand. Trainers quickly came onto the field to attend to him. This marks Smith's second NFL season as an umpire, following seven years as a referee and one as a center judge in the Big Ten conference.
This incident follows a notable moment for Smith in the previous week's Chargers-Broncos game, where his cleat came off while he was moving into position. Referee Shawn Hochuli had to call a timeout, seemingly to draw attention away from Smith adjusting his footwear.
The injury leaves Hochuli's officiating crew needing a substitute umpire for their upcoming Week 7 assignment. This season has also seen other NFL officials in the spotlight for disciplinary reasons, with line judge Jeff Seeman and referee Adrian Hill being suspended for separate incidents in Week 4. Seeman received a two-game ban for using profanity toward a player, while Hill was suspended for one game after an interaction with a player following an accidental collision.