Bengals Referee Report: Thursday Night's White Hat Called 26 Penalties in Last Cincinnati Game He Worked

CINCINNATI – The NFL likes to put Cincinnati Bengals villain Ron Torbert in high-profile games, so it’s not surprising he landed a Thanksgiving assignment.

Fortunately for the Bengals, Torbert will work the first game of the day between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions and not their night game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Craig Wrolstad will be the referee Thursday night, and the Bengals have some less-than-fond memories with him in recent years.

The last Cincinnati game Wrolstad worked, the Bengals had 14 penalties (their most since 2005) for 113 yards.

But let’s be honest – that was more on the Bengals than the officials in a performance that quarterback Joe Burrow called f—king embarrassing while mic’d up for Hard Knocks.

Cincinnati had six false starts, two delay of games and one illegal formation.

Wrolstad and his crew called the second most penalties in the league last year with 14.82.

That number is down to 12.18 this year, ranking 12th out of 17 crews.

Wrolstad was 15th in 2023 and 16th in 2022.

He’s had one controversial moment with the Bengals.

In a 2021 road game against the New York Jets, what looked like a routine tackle by Mike Hilton on a third-and-11checkdown with two minutes to go instead was called unnecessary roughness for use of helmet.

Jets running back Michael Carter appeared to initiate the helmet-to-helmet contact as Hilton was going for his legs, but Hilton drew the flag and New York ran out the remaining time to win the game 34-31.

It wasn’t Wrolstad who threw that flag. It was line judge Tripp Sutter, who is a lesser-known name but rivals Ron Tobert as the Bengals’ biggest officiating villain.

Sutter won’t be working Thursday’s Bengals game as he is on Bill Vinovich’s crew this year.

Wrolstad has been an official since 2003 and a head referee since 2014.

Wrolstad has earned playoff assignments in four consecutive seasons, working the Division Round each time.

The Bengals are 6-4 with Wrolstad as the referee.

The Ravens are 6-2 with him.

This will be his first Bengals-Ravens game.

Here is a look at each Cincinnati game he has worked as a head referee:

Week 15, 2024: Bengals 37, Titans 27

Bengals 14 penalties for 113 years; Titans 12-110

Week 16, 2023: Steelers 34, Bengals 11

Bengals 3-20; Steelers 2-15

Week 16, 2022: Bengals 22, Patriots 18

Bengals 8-62; Patriots 10-82

Week 14, 2021: 49ers 26, Bengals 23 (OT)

Bengals 2-19; 49ers 6-40

Week 8, 2021: Jets 34, Bengals 31

Bengals 5-51; Jets 8-46

Week 7, 2019: Jaguars 27, Bengals 17

Bengals 6-50; Jaguars 11-130

Wek 5, 2018: Bengals 27, Dolphins 17

Bengals 6-47; Dolphins 9-85

Week 11, 2017: Bengals 20, Broncos 17

Bengals 3-14; Broncos 5-50

Week 12, 2015: Bengals 31, Rams 7

Bengals 3-35; Rams 7-45

Week 11, 2014: Bengals 27, Saints 10

Bengals 4-33; Saints 5-34