In recent years the NFL has taken a lot of heat for the shortcomings in the performances of its officiating crew, as well as for the extensive time those crews sometimes take to make calls after replay, oftentimes still seeming to come to the wrong conclusion.
Now, there’s even more obscurity surrounding the officiating during games.
NFL rules analyst Walt Anderson explained on NFL Network on Sunday that the league is going to start looking at penalties via replay assist, according to NFL Network.
“What we’re gonna end up doing is taking a look at a lot of plays. What are some of the things that real quickly we can help the officials with seeing, because we’ve first got to be able to determine is it for sure a clear and obvious foul? Which this is. This is a clear and obvious facemask foul penalty that we missed.”
However, it appears that the NFL might have started the practice early, interfering in games with practices that still haven’t been officially ratified.
During the fourth quarter of the Monday night playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams, running back Kyren Williams had his mask grabbed by Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman, and no flag was thrown on the play.
However, after their meeting between the referees, a penalty was announced. While calling the game, announce Joe Buck mentioned that no flag was spotted from the booth.
“No, and I don’t know where that came from,” said rules analyst Russell Yurk said. “They definitely talked about it afterwards, and I don’t know where it came from.”
“Am I wrong in saying that they cannot throw a flag in essence from New York?” Buck asked.
“Yeah, I don’t think it came from New York,” Yurk responded, electing to give a roundabout answer. “I did see a flag come in late. And so I think they talked about it on the field. I don’t think they would have thrown this from New York.”
While it’s commendable that the league is trying to do the right thing moving forward, it has no place picking and choosing when to apply rules that haven’t been officially ratified. It calls into question the integrity of games if the league offices are interfering as they choose.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.