Goodell yesterday admitted the NFC Championship officiating crew missed the PI callGETTY IMAGES
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell publicly addressed for the first time the controversial no-call in the NFC Championship, acknowledging the mistake but indicating that "widespread changes to the league's policies may not be coming," according to Lorenzo Reyes of USA TODAY. Goodell during his Super Bowl LIII State of the League address said, "Technology is not going to solve all of these issues. The game is not officiated by robots." He did say the league would "look again at instant replay." Goodell: "There have been a variety of proposals over the last -- frankly 15 to 20 years -- of should replay be expanded. It does not cover judgment calls." He added the "other complication" with the controversial play was that it was a no-call. Goodell: "Our coaches and clubs have been very resistant and there has not been support to date about having a replay official or somebody in New York throw a flag when there is no flag (on the play). ... It's something that we're going to put to the competition committee to see if there's an answer to that, but the reality is that's been at least an opposition philosophically for many clubs" (USA TODAY, 1/31).
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE: In New Orleans, Jeff Duncan notes Goodell "didn't dodge" the controversial no-call and admitted the officiating crew "missed the call." He "detailed the extraordinary outreach league officials extended to the Saints after the game and in the days following it." He also "explained the complicating aspects of the imbroglio." He "empathized, as best he could, with Saints players, coaches, officials and fans." However, Goodell "ducked questions about what disciplinary action, if any, was or would be taken against the officials," and his "silence on the matter spoke volumes" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/31). ESPN's Clinton Yates said he was "impressed" by Goodell because he "told the truth" about missing the call ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 1/30). THE ATHLETIC's Lindsay Jones wrote Goodell's comments yesterday were an "important public admission." However, it "came 10 days too late, and it fails to address the larger issue beyond just the no-call: 2018 was a season defined by officiating controversies, and it doesn't appear that the league has any solid plans to fix that" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/30). In N.Y., Steve Serby writes what Goodell said was "too little, too late for a team and a city robbed of the opportunity to capture its second championship" (N.Y. POST, 1/31).
WORKABLE SOLUTION? ESPN.com's Adam Schefter cited a source as saying that the NFL is "expected to consider a plan that would allow limited coaches' challenges for incorrect judgment calls that also could include a penalty or time run off if the coach is wrong." It is a proposal "designed to get those against allowing coaches' challenges of officials' judgment calls more supportive of the potential rule change." By creating a "disincentive or penalty to even question a judgment call," it is hoped the option "would be used rarely and wouldn't be abused." A source predicted that the NFL's competition committee "will figure out a way to get a rule like this passed, especially considering that it has the attention" of Goodell (ESPN.com, 1/30). Saints coach Sean Payton said he likes that he is "part of that committee." Payton: "I know every offseason ... we all sit down and really try to grind on, 'Hey, how to make this game better, safer.' Then present it to ownership and the other coaches. This year will be no different" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/31).
UNDER REVIEW: CBSSN's Amy Trask believes the NFL "can do a better job embracing technology in officiating." She said, "Technology has evolved far faster than has the league adapting officiating to that technology" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31). In West Palm Beach, Hal Habib writes bad calls will always happen, but in this "era of HD, 4K and images that can be slowed down and magnified with more clarity than ever, mistakes too are magnified." Habib: "Can't we all agree to fix the worst of the worst?" (PALM BEACH POST, 1/31). In Philadelphia, Marcus Hayes wrote the replay conversation was "always about making the game as fair and as properly administered as possible." Hayes: "Why dither?" Among Hayes' suggestions for fixing replay is make all plays "subject to review." He also advocates putting a "second replay official in the booth" and letting replay officials "make real-time calls" (PHILLY.com, 1/30).
