The NFL will have to go the rest of the 2026 season down one experienced official after referee Larry Smith suffered what is believed to be a season-ending leg injury in London this past weekend.
According to Ben Austro of Football Zebras, Smith is set to miss the rest of the season after sustaining a torn quadricep muscle from a slip on wet turf during the Texans-Jaguars game. Smith was down on the ground for several minutes, unable to put any weight on his right leg, before being carted off the field. He did not return to the game.
“Multiple officiating sources have said that it is a torn quadricep muscle and that Smith will be out for the rest of the season. The officiating department, through a league spokesman, declined to comment,” Austro wrote.
Larry Smith is in his second NFL season but has many years of football officiating under his belt. He was a referee and center judge for nearly a decade in the Big Ten Conference for college football and previously worked for the Mid-American Conference. Smith also spent multiple years doing spring league work and was the referee of the 2023 USFL Championship.
Football Zebras suggested that either Tab Slaughter or Ian Malepeai will replace Smith as both are swing officials.
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Fans wish Smith a speedy recovery.
On X, users have sent their warm regards to Smith and hope he can recover from his injury soon.
“Hate to see this. Larry Smith is an excellent official. Former Big Ten Referee, and now Umpire in NFL. Looked like he slipped and his knee may have buckled. London field looks a little slick from rain. Wishing Larry well and hoping for a speedy recovery,” one user wrote.
“The one guy on the field nobody is trying to tackle, and the London turf still took him out for the season,” another lamented.
“Wishing Larry Smith a speedy recovery Tough way to end the season. Hope he comes back stronger!” wrote a third.
We wish Smith all the best in his recovery.
