On Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals will square off but the most interesting thing about the game might be the situation with the officials. Due to ongoing issues with the FAA and air travel, NFL referee Don Willard will be on the field in Cincinnati. This on its own doesn't seem at all unusual, but wait, there's more.
The Steelers game will be Willard's second game of the day. Willard will first referee the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts game in the early slot, then drive 110 miles to Cincinnati after the game so he can be the referee on Sunday Night Football.
There is no known record of anything like this happening before. So having Willard work two games in the same day is completely unprecedented and a first
of its kind.
NFL referee Don Willard will officiate two games in one day because of travel delays from the FAA's ground stop.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) November 14, 2026
Ref Dolphins-Colts at 1 p.m. in Indianapolis
Drive 110 miles to Cincinnati
Ref Steelers-Bengals at 8:20 p.m. pic.twitter.com/yf3MV2QjaC
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers vs Bengals: NFL announces huge officiating change due to FAA concerns
