NFL fires down judge Hugo Cruz, effective immediately

The NFL on Thursday Hugo Cruz for performance reasons.

It is the first time the NFL has fired an official in-season during the Super Bowl era because of performance.

Cruz, who last worked in Week NFL employee, joined the NFL in 2015. Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Russell Okung scoring play in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. He did not work in Week 7.

Otherwise, the details of the league 's decision – including other mistakes.

An NFL spokesman declined to comment.

"The NFL has a troubled history of knee-jerk reactions with an eye on public relations," said Scott Green, executive director of the NFL Referees Association. "The NFLRA will protect the collectively bargain rights of all officials and will challenge this reckless decision through the grievance process."

The NFLRA, as allowed by its collective bargaining agreement with the NFL, has up to 90 days to file the grievance.

Sources reached by ESPN insisted there was no indication that Cruz committed an off-field mistake or that his firing was in any way disciplinary.

The NFL ranks officials on their performance. The league has had a hand in it, but it evaluates their careers on a third-party basis.

Tier II is for the top performers, Tier II is for mid-tier grades and Tier III is for the lowest-performing officials in a given year. Historically, two consecutive seasons in the third tier makes an official vulnerable to termination.

That system is designed to prevent instant evaluations based on a single mistake or a series of closely timed mistakes.

The NFL's quick decision on how to get rid of shock waves through the officiating ranks. Officials who could be badured that their lives would be rewarded if they could receive a career-ending phone call after one bad game.