Ben Dreith had a voice that sounded like it had been cured in a smokehouse and then dragged over a gravel road. He was a referee's referee. On October 5, 1986, during a matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets, Dreith did something that shouldn't have been a big deal, but it became legendary. He didn't just call a foul. He gave us a phrase that has outlasted his own career. When Jets defensive tackle Marty Lyons started pummeling Bills quarterback Jim Kelly on the turf, Dreith turned on his microphone. He didn't say "unnecessary roughness." He didn't say "striking the opponent." Instead, he told the stadium and the millions watching at home that Lyons was giving him the business.
It was perfect.
Football is often a game of rigid terminology and stiff officiating. You expect a ref to sound like a lawyer reading a contract. Dreith broke the fourth wall. He spoke like a guy at a bar describing a scrap. That single moment transformed a standard penalty into a piece of permanent Americana. People still talk about it because it felt real. It felt human.
The Anatomy of the 1986 "Giving Him the Business" Call
To understand why this caught fire, you have to look at the footage. Marty Lyons was a member of the "New York Sack Exchange." He wasn't a small guy. Jim Kelly, the Hall of Fame QB for the Bills, was down on the ground after a play. Lyons didn't just tackle him; he straddled him and started throwing short, piston-like punches to Kelly’s head. It wasn't a brawl. It was a mugging.
Dreith stepped in.
He didn't hesitate. The white hat clicked his mic and delivered the line: "There’s a personal foul, number 99 of the defense. After he tackled the passer, he was giving him the business down there." Dreith even added a little punching motion with his arms for emphasis. The crowd roared. Even the announcers were stunned into a brief silence before chuckling.
Why did he say it?
Dreith later mentioned in interviews that he didn't really think about it. It was just a phrase he used. In the 80s, "giving someone the business" was common slang for a roughing up or a tongue-lashing. But applying it to a professional sports penalty? That was new. It stripped away the clinical nature of the NFL rulebook. It reminded everyone that, at its core, football is a game of guys hitting each other, and sometimes they get a little too carried away.
Is "Giving Him the Business" an Actual Rule?
Short answer: No.
You won't find those words in the official NFL Rulebook. If you look at Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8, you'll find "Unnecessary Roughness." That’s the actual foul. It covers everything from hitting a player out of bounds to "striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head, neck, or face." Lyons was definitely clubbing the head.
Interestingly, while it isn't a rule, it has become an unofficial "spirit" rule. Officials today are trained to be incredibly precise. They use terms like "forcible contact to the head/neck area" or "lowering the helmet to initiate contact." They have to be precise because of the massive fines and betting implications. Dreith lived in a different era. He was the boss of the field. If he said you were giving him the business, then by God, you were giving him the business.
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There is a certain irony here. The NFL today is obsessed with its image. It's the "No Fun League" to many. Yet, the league’s own social media accounts and NFL Films frequently celebrate Dreith’s call. It’s the kind of authentic marketing you can't buy. It connects the multi-billion dollar corporate entity back to its gritty, sandlot roots.
The 2011 "Business" Revival
For years, the phrase was a nostalgic relic. Then came Ron Cherry.
In a 2011 college football game between Maryland and NC State, referee Ron Cherry—a man known for having a bit of flair—found himself in a similar spot. A Maryland player, Isaiah Ross, had performed what can only be described as a wrestling move on an NC State player after the whistle.
Cherry didn't miss a beat.
He keyed his mic and said, "He was giving him the business."
The internet, which didn't exist when Dreith made the original call, absolutely lost its mind. It went viral instantly. It proved that the phrase wasn't just a one-hit wonder from the 80s. It was a part of the sport's DNA. Cherry was later asked about it, and he admitted it was a direct tribute to Ben Dreith. It was a "game recognize game" moment between two officials who understood that football is entertainment.
Why the Phrase Works (And Why We Miss It)
Language evolves, but sports language usually gets more boring. We live in the era of "Optimal Launch Angle" and "Expected Goals." Data is king. But data doesn't have a soul.
When a ref says "giving him the business," he’s communicating something data can’t. He’s communicating intent. He’s saying that the player wasn't just playing hard; he was being a jerk. It captures the emotional temperature of the game.
Fans love it because it’s transparent.
Honestly, the modern NFL could use more of this. Think about the current state of "taunting" penalties. They are widely hated because they feel subjective and ticky-tack. When a ref throws a flag for a player looking at a sideline, it feels corporate. But if a player actually starts a scrap and the ref calls him out for "giving him the business," everyone agrees. We all saw it. The ref is just calling it like it is.
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Cultural Impact Beyond the Gridiron
The phrase has leaked into the broader culture. You’ll hear it in business meetings. "The CEO really gave that vendor the business during the negotiations." You’ll hear it in relationships. "My wife gave me the business because I forgot to take out the trash."
It’s versatile.
It implies a lopsided encounter. To "give someone the business" means you are in total control and the other person is just taking it. In the context of the 1986 game, Jim Kelly was the one taking it. Marty Lyons was the one dishing it out.
A Note on Ben Dreith’s Legacy
Ben Dreith wasn't just a comedian with a whistle. He was an incredibly respected official who worked Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl XV. He spent 30 years in the league. He was actually at the center of several controversial calls, including a famous roughing the passer penalty against the Patriots in the 1976 playoffs that still makes New England fans see red.
But for all his years of service, giving him the business is his headstone. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 96. When the news broke, every major sports outlet led with that 1986 clip. It’s a hell of a legacy to leave behind—making millions of people smile by simply being yourself on the job.
The Nuance of the Foul
Not every fight is "giving him the business."
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- A Punch: That’s an ejection.
- A Shove: That’s just a 15-yarder.
- The Business: This requires a specific level of "extra." It’s the rubbing of the face in the dirt. It’s the unnecessary extra three seconds of wrestling after the whistle. It’s the blatant disrespect.
If you watch modern games, you see it happen all the time in the pile-up. Players are poking eyes, grabbing ankles, and whispering things that would make a sailor blush. But because it happens under a pile of twenty 300-pound men, the refs rarely see it. Dreith saw it because Lyons did it in broad daylight.
How to Use This Knowledge
If you’re a coach, you use this as a teaching moment. Don't be Marty Lyons. Not because the violence is bad (well, it is), but because it’s a stupid penalty that costs your team 15 yards.
If you’re a fan, you use it as a litmus test. If someone knows the phrase, they know their football history. They aren't just a "box score" fan. They understand the mythology of the game.
If you’re a ref? Well, maybe keep the "business" talk to a minimum unless you have the charisma of Ben Dreith. Most modern refs who try to be funny end up looking like they’re auditioning for a sitcom, and nobody wants that during a crucial third-down measurement.
Next Steps for the Football Obsessed
- Watch the Clip: Go to YouTube and search "Ben Dreith Giving Him the Business." It’s 30 seconds of pure gold.
- Study the Sack Exchange: Look up Marty Lyons. He wasn't just a "penalty guy." He was a monster on the field and a Walter Payton Man of the Year winner off of it.
- Listen to Mic'd Up Segments: If you want to hear what's actually said in those piles, NFL Films "Mic'd Up" is the only way to get close to the real "business" being handed out.
- Keep it in Your Vocabulary: The next time your friend loses a bet or gets roasted in the group chat, tell them they really got given the business. Keep the tradition alive.