Goodell’s response got here following his annual tackle to the media earlier than the Tremendous Bowl.
He is flawed, after all.
In 2022, no on-field officiating name was as egregious because the blown move interference name towards the Saints within the 2019 NFC Championship Recreation. Nor was there a name as embarrassing because the replacement refs’ “Fail Mary” in a Inexperienced Bay-Seattle “Monday Night time Soccer” sport in 2012.
However officers botched loads of calls this season.
On Nov. 14, 2022, CBS Boston posted an article titled “NFL officiating has one other baffling day in huge moments on Sunday.” Author Michael Hurley famous that officers had didn’t evaluate what ought to have been an incomplete Josh Allen move in a Vikings-Payments sport.
The NFL admitted to a number of different officiating errors this season, together with a missed pass interference call in Week 15 in a Commanders-Giants sport.
In Week 9, following the Bears’ 35-32 loss to Miami, the league released a statement noting officers erred blew two move interference penalties — each costing Chicago.
In Week 5, it issued a statement noting the Titans had been wrongly flagged for move interference towards the Commanders.
In Week 1, officers missed an intentional grounding penalty that ought to have been referred to as towards Eagles QB Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia’s closer-than-expected 38-35 win over Detroit.
This sampling would not embody dozens of controversial roughing-the-passer penalties that marred many video games.
There is a easy rationalization for why Goodell is not calling for sweeping modifications to the league’s officiating construction.
Above all else, the commissioner is in control of ensuring the league makes cash and that poor officiating would not impression the underside line. Final yr, the league set a document with $11 billion in revenue.
However how significantly better would the league be if it invested extra in officiating, akin to full-time officers, and a good larger use of expertise?
The reply is as apparent to followers as all these different missed calls.
