Roger Goodell: Dean Blandino will have final say on all NFL replay challenges
In an effort to speed up play, the league will have Blandino handle all replay reviews
By
Ryan Wilson
•
1 min read
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The NFL is serious about streamlining its product. In general, that means finding ways to speed up a game that has become bogged down by too many commercials and unnecessarily long breaks in the action. On Wednesday, commissioner Roger Goodell published a letter outlining some of the changes the league hopes to implement.
As part of that effort, Goodell said Thursday that NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino will have final say on all replay reviews, a chore which has previously resided with the referee working the game.
“We are going to centralize the replay back here in New York,” Goodell told ESPN’s Mike & Mike, via PFT. “Dean Blandino will have the final decision. We think that will move it much quicker.”
Goodell did say that Blandino will consult with the referee but the final call will come from NFL headquarters in New York City.
Additionally, referees will announce replay decisions immediately at the stadium, instead of waiting for the networks to return from a commercial break.
“We want to get going. We want to be ready to play,” Goodell said.
This seems straightforward and noncontroversial, partly because it speeds up the game, but more importantly because it means (in theory, anyway), that fewer calls are missed. Now if the NFL can revisit the whole “Hey, watch this fun video on how to celebrate properly!” strategy.
