NFL might add ‘sky judge’ to aid officials

The NFL is seriously considering the idea of adding an eighth game official, a “sky judge” stationed in the press box empowered to stop the game to correct a “clear and obvious” officiating gaffe.

That’s what Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice-president of football operations, told a group of reporters on Friday morning at the conclusion of week-long meetings of the league’s competition committee, which advises owners on the game’s rules including potential rule changes.

Vincent said there’s an impetus and widespread desire within league circles this off- season for some form of concrete action that would prevent a repeat of the catastrophic officiating mistake in the NFC championship game — an uncalled but strikingly obvious passinterference foul against a Los Angeles Rams defender, which likely cost the New Orleans Saints a Super Bowl berth.

With so much record-breaking offence, 2018 “was a phenomenal season from a competitive standpoint,” Vincent said. But the controversial NFC championship game — which led to public protests and understandable weeks long outrage in New Orleans — “just takes the air out of it,” he said.

“People want to get it right. We want you to get that call right.”

The problem is, this concept begs myriad questions, Vincent pointed out during a frank discussion that lasted nearly 40 minutes.

First and foremost, does everyone in the league really want an official empowered to call a foul after the fact that was missed on the field?

That question alone compelled the several officials the league consulted this week to push back “hard,” Vincent said.

Beyond that, who would fill that “sky judge” role? A relocated current referee? A retired referee? How much power would he or she be given? To correct which calls? And all game long or limited to the end of halves?

And what how might the roles of the current seven on-field officials change?

What would the league’s central replay command centre’s role be reduced to? Would coaches’ challenges be affected? If so, how? And on and on. You can see this concept is fraught with uncertainties.

“What are all the ramifications if we go in this direction?” Vincent said. “How does this affect mechanics and pace of game?”

Indeed, the issues are many. And complicated.

They don’t have much time. At the NFL annual meeting March 2427 in Phoenix, owners will vote on rule proposals put before them by the competition committee, which vets proposals submitted by clubs and often adds its own submissions.

Expect some form of a proposal to go before owners in Phoenix. How would they vote on it? Who knows.

Then again, this is how Vincent gauged league leaders this week:

“I think the appetite is ... we’ve got to fix. There are some things we have to adjust and fix. No one is happy with that (NFC championship game’s) outcome.”