New playoff official to hold pivotal role
EDMONTON CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie was as unhappy as most fans with the unpenalized helmet-to-helmet hit that took Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Brandon Bridge out of the Western semifinal and Wednesday he did something about it.
An eighth official has been added for Sunday’s East and West Division finals and the 106th Grey Cup with his only assignment being to police blows delivered to the head or neck of the quarterback.
The move was announced Thursday by Ambrosie, reiterating that a penalty for roughing the passer should have been called but wasn’t. Video from a camera worn by the head referee revealed that his view of the hit had been blocked by another player.
While TSN had a replay of the hit that clearly showed the blow that took Bridge out of the game in the final minute of play, the command centre didn’t send a new ruling down to the field.
“It is very important that this sort of potentially dangerous play is penalized on the field in addition to being subject to supplementary discipline,” said Ambrosie, who issued the maximum fine allowed under the collective bargaining agreement to Jackson Jeffcoat of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“Not only is it important to the integrity of the game, it can act as a deterrent.
“That is why we are adding an additional set of eyes, with a strictly limited but well-defined mandate, to our officiating crew.”
The decision was reached after discussions with representatives of all nine CFL teams.
The eighth official will be a former CFL referee.
“After the Grey Cup, we will assess this change as part of a complete review of what we are doing and what else might be done to protect quarterbacks and improve health and safety for all of our players,” said Ambrosie.
“It may become part of a broader package of reforms that may include changes to the mandate of the command centre.”
Earlier in the day, the CFLPA issued a release on the subject.
“We’d like to think that the recent attention given to player safety can prompt a change for the better,” said executive director Brian Ramsay.
“However, it is what is not being talked about that concerns our members. If the league and team management were really serious about improving player safety, they would agree with our longheld complaint that the league’s 11-person rules committee has only one player representative.”