KFDX-TV/@BenCoker3 on X
A Texas high school football referee is under fire after a video showed him throwing a shoe and hurling expletives at a player following an ejection in a playoff game.
Video of the incident, which was both taken and posted by Ben Coker of local news station KFDX, showed the head referee of the Class 3A Division II regional semifinal playoff game between Gunter and Henrietta motioning for the ejection of a Henrietta player.
Referee crash out near the end of Henrietta vs. Gunter #txhsfb playoff game at Denton’s C.H. Collins Stadium Friday afternoon. Threw a shoe like a flag and shouted profanities while ejecting a Bearcats player #KFDX #FNF pic.twitter.com/E8cLrvDHls
— Ben Coker (@BenCoker3) November 29, 2025
Why Did Texas High School Football Referee Throw His Shoe And Curse At Player?
As the video continues to roll, the referee clearly looks at the Henrietta sideline and begins to yell something toward either players, coaches, or both. Coker told Jonathan Hull of the Times Record News that the referee used multiple expletives before clenching both fists to his eyes to replicate a crying child.
“It was a hornet’s nest at this point,” Coker said. “Every fan on both sides are on their feet, screaming at the referees, screaming at the fans on the other side of the field. It was chaos.”
The video only got weirder from there. After having thrown his flag and his hat for multiple unsportsmanlike penalties, the referee then threw his shoe, seemingly signalling another penalty.