NFL Officiating Observatory
CREW CHIEF PROFILE
Ron Torbert: NFL referee penalty stats (2026)
Ron Torbert is an NFL referee (crew chief). In 2026, games his crew has worked average 13.2 accepted penalties over 6 games, 10% below the league's 14.7. Across 2015–25 his crew averaged 12.6 per game (171 games), a game-changers style: lots of flags, and big ones.
Calling style
Career (2015–25): Game-changers, lots of flags, and big ones. 2026 so far: Few but costly.
Close to the league average on every measure we track.
Calls most like: Carl Cheffers, Land Clark.
Penalty types vs the league (2015–25, season-adjusted, per game)
| Penalty | Per game | vs league rate |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive Holding | 2.79 | +13% |
| Roughing the Passer | 0.36 | -12% |
| Neutral Zone Infraction | 0.40 | -11% |
| Defensive Offside | 0.53 | -8% |
| Illegal Block Above the Waist | 0.41 | +6% |
| Unnecessary Roughness | 0.65 | -5% |
| False Start | 2.29 | +4% |
| Defensive Holding | 0.73 | -3% |
| Defensive Pass Interference | 1.04 | +1% |
| Delay of Game | 0.55 | +1% |
Season by season
| Season | Games | Flags / game |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 16 | 14.4 |
| 2016 | 16 | 12.8 |
| 2017 | 16 | 13.8 |
| 2018 | 16 | 12.3 |
| 2019 | 15 | 13.3 |
| 2020 | 16 | 11.1 |
| 2021 | 19 | 10.3 |
| 2022 | 17 | 10.9 |
| 2023 | 17 | 12.8 |
| 2024 | 18 | 13.9 |
| 2025 | 17 | 12.4 |
| 2026 | 6 | 13.2 |
Recent games
| Date | Game | Score | Flags | By team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-25 | LA @ LV | 35–21 | 13 | LA 7 · LV 6 |
| 2026-10-11 | PHI @ JAX | 17–19 | 20 | PHI 7 · JAX 13 |
| 2026-10-04 | DEN @ SF | 14–24 | 8 | DEN 7 · SF 1 |
| 2026-09-27 | HOU @ IND | 17–19 | 8 | HOU 2 · IND 6 |
| 2026-09-17 | DET @ BUF | 31–41 | 15 | DET 10 · BUF 5 |
| 2026-09-13 | ARI @ LAC | 26–14 | 15 | ARI 8 · LAC 7 |
| 2026-01-11 | LAC @ NE | 3–16 | 6 | LAC 4 · NE 2 |
| 2026-01-04 | NO @ ATL | 17–19 | 11 | NO 6 · ATL 5 |
| 2025-12-28 | PHI @ BUF | 13–12 | 7 | PHI 3 · BUF 4 |
| 2025-12-22 | SF @ IND | 48–27 | 8 | SF 2 · IND 6 |
Questions
How many penalties does Ron Torbert call per game?
In 2026 through Week 7, games Ron Torbert's crew worked averaged 13.2 accepted penalties and 113.3 penalty yards per game (6 games). His 2015–25 average was 12.6; the 2026 league average is 14.7.
What penalties does Ron Torbert call most?
Per game, 2015–25: offensive holding (2.79), false start (2.29), defensive pass interference (1.04). His mix of calls is close to the league average.
Does Ron Torbert call more penalties on the home team?
In 2015–25, 50% of the flags in his games were on the home team (league: 49%). Small differences like this are normal and are not evidence of bias.
Statistics reflect the crew chief's assignment; crews change around the chief each year. Patterns, not motives.