{
  "id": 9360515,
  "title": "Referee for Broncos-Rams game has a history with Sean Payton",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/referee-for-broncos-rams-game-has-a-history-with-sean-payton",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-23T15:30:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/referee-broncos-rams-game-history-153045783.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Denver Broncos will face off against the Los Angeles Rams in a Sunday Night Football game on September 27 at Empower Field at Mile High. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:20 p.m. MT and the match will be broadcast on NBC, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth providing the call.\n\nClay Martin was the referee when the Broncos played the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, a game during which Patrick Mahomes failed to lose. Vinovich is set to officiate the Broncos' game against the Rams, a team that has had a less fortunate history with him.\n\nBill Vinovich refereed an NFL game in 2018 in which the New Orleans Saints, coached by Sean Payton at the time, suffered a loss due to what many consider to be a glaring missed call. No flag was thrown for Sean Payton's pass intended for Tommylee Lewis, which sailed incomplete. This decision may have cost the Saints a place in the Super Bowl.\n\nBill Vinovich's history with Payton could be weighing on his mind as he prepares to officiate this Sunday's game, but the Broncos cannot afford to let this be an excuse for their performance. Vinovich does have a winning record with the Broncos in their last five games, with a 3-2 tally. The Rams, however, have had a rougher time with Vinovich, with a 1-4 record in their last five games under his watch.",
  "summary": "When the Denver Broncos take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, Sean Payton will be on the same field as a referee he has poor history with.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}