Vs Series: Jessie Bates vs Reggie Nelson

[SunsetBengal]

Nelson by a mile, but that was two different styles of officiating the game.

Nelson was an old school style, make you pay physically type of 'Center Field' Free Safety, in Bates era times had changed and receivers now became 'defenseless targets' and such. One could argue that the position is tougher today because the emphasis is on athleticism, rather than the old school way of dominant Safeties being able to establish a bit of a fear factor of making receivers pay for the catch.