Tag: Roger Goodell

Fail Mary was a failure beyond the field

by Ben Austro - 2

Commentary by Ben Austro The play was one in a million. You could work the triple shifts in peewee right up through three decades in the NFL and still not see a simultaneous catch call like this (video). The Packers-Seahawks meeting in 2012 was the end of the seventh full week of

Ray Anderson leaving NFL at end of season

by Mark Schultz - 0

NFL executive oversaw officiating department during tenure Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president of football operations, will leave his position at the end of the 2013 season to "pursue other opportunities" according to a statement from the National Football League.   In the statement, commissioner Roger Goodell said of Anderson, "Ray’s wide-ranging

Red-flag rule subject to review

by Football Zebras staff - 8

In the last two weeks, the Falcons (video) and the Lions have both been burned by throwing a red challenge flag on a play subject to automatic review. All indications are this rule will be changed, including comments from the commissioner at a Lions event. Roger Goodell said he doesn't expect

A word of caution to the NFL Referees Association

by Mark Schultz - 0

The NFL Referees Association and its 121 members are enjoying unprecedented appreciation (video) and good will after agreeing to a new union contract and ending the league imposed lockout.  The fans, players, coaches, and media are looking forward to NFL-caliber officiating after three weeks of having replacement officials who tried, and

NFL loses credibility in assigning replacement officials

by Mark Schultz - 0

The "blooper reel" of funny, frustrating, and exasperating NFL replacement official mistakes was very extensive going into Monday Night Football in Week 3.  In one call, the "Fail Mary" smashed the blooper reel with a granite rock of mayhem, bewilderment, chaos, frustration, and questions about the quality of the product

Helmet-to-helmet hit may result in butt-to-bench, increased fines

by Ben Austro - 0

After some nasty helmet-to-helmet collisions on the football field, it was comments made in the broadcast studio that attracted the attention of the NFL. On Sunday Night Football, former Chargers and Patriots safety Rodney Harrison—who was voted twice by his peers as the dirtiest player in the game—said that fines

Commish: QB flag lobbying not an issue

by Ben Austro - 2

In the annual league meeting held in Boston, commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the media on various topics. Of interest here, he was asked about the influence that star quarterbacks might have on the officials. (We will get to his response shortly.) We did not specifically address the star-treatment aspect here, as