Bengals Referee Report: Sunday's White Hat Is Becoming an Increasingly Familiar Face for the Team

Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; NFL referee Scott Novak (1) during the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – An increasingly familiar face will be working the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ring of Honor game against the New York Jets on Sunday.

Scott Novak will be the referee for the third time in the last 18 Bengals games.

One of those games, however, was not supposed to be his.

In Week 8 last year, John Hussey was supposed to work the Bengals’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but an injury prevented him from doing so.

Novak served as the emergency fill-in for the Sunday afternoon game before heading 300 miles east to work the Monday night game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

Scott Novak will work his second game in as many days. Other officials have done so in different positions, but it's the first time the referee worked consecutive days since current Big Ten coordinator of officials Bill Carollo did it (twice) in 1999 (thx: @QuirkyResearch) pic.twitter.com/9p7VsEq4eD

—  Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs🇺🇦 (@footballzebras) October 28, 2024

A few weeks later, Novak worked Cincinnati’s Monday night game at Dallas.

Novak and his crew are averaging 16.5 flags per game, which ranks eight out of 17.

They are averaging 13.5 accepted penalties per game, which ranks ninth.

A head referee since 2019, Novak’s penalty stats have leveled off after being among the most volatile in the league.

He ranked 11th in total flags and 10th in accepted penalties last year. But before that his crew had the fewest accepted penalties in 2023 (9.8).

In 2022, they had the second most (12.1).

Novak ranked fifth in 2021 (13.1), 12th in 2020 (10.3) and last in 2019 (11.3).

The Bengals are 3-4 when Novak is the head referee.

The Jets are 1-3 with Novak.

Novak has not earned a postseason assignment since working a Wild-Card game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders in 2020.

Week 14, 2024: Bengals 27, Cowboys 20

Bengals 10-77; Cowboys 4-36

Week 8, 2024: Eagles 37, Bengals 17

Bengals 1-3; Eagles 4-40

Week 14, 2023: Bengals 34, Jaguars 31

Bengals 6-35; Jaguars 7-55

Week 5, 2022: Ravens 19, Bengals 17

Bengals 4-20; Ravens 6-48

Week 9, 2021: Browns 41, Bengals 16

Bengals 4-31; Browns 10-84

Week 8, 2020: Bengals 31, Titans 20

Bengals 7-45; Titans 7-68

Week 10, 2019: Ravens 49, Bengals 13

Bengals 1-5; Ravens 5-35