Zebra Blog

It is not exactly America’s Got Talent, but finding the new vice president of officiating is turning out to be one tough audition.

Peter King of SI.com is reporting that the league is restarting its process to find a replacement for current officeholder Mike Pereira. Pereira announced on the NFL Network in January that he would retire at the conclusion of the 2009 season.

The process is definitely taking longer than anticipated. In February, Pereira said his replacement would shadow him through this season.

Pereira took over from Jerry Seeman (then, the position was senior director of officiating) in 2001. Prior to being elevated to the league office, Pereira served as a side judge for only two seasons at the NFL level.

I am not sure that Seeman would be a candidate for the position as it is today. Pereira is now the league’s highest profile executive with a weekly “Official Review” segement on NFL Total Access. This involves presentation skills far more polished than a 10-second announcement over the public-address system. A successful candidate must also navigate and rise above the flood of faux hipness that the network talking heads constantly exude.

While this represents the most visible part of the job, Periera and his staff grade every play of every game from no less than three camera angles. The grades are then computed into a percentage for playoff assignments.

It is unlikely that the league will field a candidate from the current roster of officials, if the new appointee is to shadow Pereira this season. There were five officials that retired in the offseason, including referee Bill Carollo and field judge Duke Carroll.

But, for now the league is back at square one for lining up potential candidates. Perhaps the NFL Network can start a clone of America’s Got Talent, with commissioner Roger Goodell, Pereira, and Goodell’s newest special advisor, John Madden, manning the buzzers.

John Madden

John Madden’s retirement from broadcasting was short-lived. No, he’s not returning to the airwaves, but will work with the league in a consultant role.

The league announced today that Madden, the former CBS/Fox/ABC/NBC color commentator and Raiders coach, was appointed as an unpaid adviser with the league. In a statement released, Madden will have four duties in his position:

• advise Commissioner Roger Goodell “on matters pertaining to the game, including competitive issues, coaching and personnel development, technological innovations, player safety, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
• discuss with a league executive about “multiple league-related issues”
• chair the Coaches Subcommittee of the Competition Committee
• participate in meetings of the General Managers Advisory Committee as well as conference calls with the commissioner’s office about issues from the previous week’s games.

While some have criticized Madden’s ability to convey complicated or obscure rules to the viewing public, his career focus on football is undeniably valuable. Factoring in his time since he was drafted by the Eagles in the 21st round (yes, 21st, and injured in training camp before playing) and his nine-year college coaching career, Madden has been drawing a football check for 50 years. While he always pines for the smashmouth era of football, he has adapted to the changes and new innovations that have come in that half-century.

From the press release, it sounds like Madden can essentially get involved in pretty much anything he wants. Or, Commissioner Gordon—er, Goodell—will just illuminate the secret Fatman distress signal as needed.