NFL referee leaves game after non-contact injury
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Injuries have devastated NFL teams throughout the 2025 season, and on Thursday night, the issue hit NFL officials during a Buffalo Bills-Houston Texans game.
Head referee Adrian Hill stopped the play on a Texas drive-in in the third quarter. He was seen in the end zone watching a play unfold. As he began to move, Hill grabbed his left leg.
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Referee Adrian Hill on the field during a game between the Chicago Bears and New York Giants at Soldier Field on November 9, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Hill was helped off the field and had to be taken to the locker room. Referee Roy Ellison took over as main referee for the remainder of the match.
Hill has been an NFL official since 2010, making his debut on September 12, 2010, in a game between the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys as a line judge. He was promoted to referee in 2019 following the retirement of Pete Morelli and Walt Coleman.
Ellison is a long-time official himself and has had some controversies associated with his NFL career.
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Medical personnel attend to Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrell Bernard (8) after suffering an unknown injury in the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
In 2018, he had a confrontation with Bills defensive lineman Jerry Hughes. The NFL player confronted Ellison in the tunnel after a game between the Bills and Miami Dolphins. Hughes accused Ellison of calling him an expletive. Ellison was reportedly fined one match for checking over the incident.
Both teams were also dealing with injuries during the game.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen had to be examined after being roughed up during a play. Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir, defensive back Maxwell Hairston and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins were all evaluated for concussions. Bills linebacker Terrell Bernard suffered an elbow injury and was out for the rest of the game.
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The Texans were playing without quarterback C.J. Stroud as well as safety Jalen Peter, who were both injured.
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