NFL replay czar draws criticism

It’s open season on Al Riveron, the accidental fall guy for the NFL’s latest officiating mess.

Every week, it’s always something.

You can’t blame the Cowboys for fuming about the two tripping penalties they drew in Foxborough on Sunday, including the phantom call on Travis Frederick that severely hindered the late drive that could have won the game. Two tripping penalties in the same game? Heading into last weekend, there were just seven tripping penalties throughout the rest of the season. Bad officiating happens. Tough luck.

The same was said of the Buccaneers last month when they were robbed of a touchdown after their fumble return for a touchdown off a fake field goal attempt was called back. Tough luck. The play was blown dead by a quick whistle, and Tampa Bay wound by losing by four. The Saints had similar misfortune on a fumble return for a would-be TD in a Week 2 loss at the Rams.

Earlier this month, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey bearhugged DeAndre Hopkins in the end zone and it was worse than tough luck because unlike the quick whistles and tripping, it could have been corrected with the instant replay challenge from Texans coach Bill O’Brien.

Instead, the non-call stood – and Hopkins took a shot at Riveron on Twitter, demanding that “someone new” needs to make the replay calls from the command center in New York.

The sentiment is just one voice in a growing chorus.

Saints coach Sean Payton is publicly suggesting the NFL install a three-person panel to handle replay reviews rather than leave the duty solely to Riveron, the director of officiating. A non-call on an obvious pass interference in the NFC title game in January likely cost Payton’s team a trip to Super Bowl LIII – the controversy that led to this expansion of replay challenges this year to include pass interference.

Payton, a member of the NFL’s competition committee, told USA TODAY Sports this week, “Part of it is not fixed.”

Payton is expressing what many coaches are feeling – and in many cases unwilling to say, given the threat of fines for being openly critical – about the state of the officiating.

As one head coach told USA TODAY Sports this week under the condition of anonymity, due to the possibility of drawing NFL discipline, “It’s awful.”

NFL, you have a crisis on your hands. Again.