NFL referee Shawn Smith gives penalty call in Spanish, delighting Dolphins vs. Commanders crowd in Madrid

Dan Treacy

•
NFL referee Shawn Smith gives penalty call in Spanish, delighting Dolphins vs. Commanders crowd in Madrid image

The NFL has been all over Europe in recent years, but Sunday's game between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders marked a new frontier as the league's first-ever game in Spain.

Referee Shawn Smith matched the moment, delivering a first-quarter penalty call in Spanish to the delight of the Madrid crowd.

The Dolphins and Commanders are playing at the home of Real Madrid, Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, in the NFL's final international game of the season after hitting the U.K., Germany, Ireland and Brazil. 

Here's a look at Smith's Spanish call during Sunday's international finale.

LIVE: Follow Commanders vs. Dolphins updates, highlights

NFL referee Spanish penalty call

Smith broke out some Spanish while relaying a false start call to the crowd late in the first quarter.

Smith said in Spanish that the call was a false start on the offense, but he switched back to English to say it was a five-yard penalty and fourth down. 

The tradition of NFL referees giving calls in a different language began in 2005, when Ed Hochuli made a call in Spanish during a game in Mexico. His son, Shawn, followed suit with a call in German during a 2024 game. 

The NFL is no stranger to international games, but a majority have been played in the U.K., where English is the native language. As the league continues to expand its international slate to more countries, this could be a tradition we see more often.

MORE: Where is the NFL Spain game being played?

Senior Content Producer

Staff Writer