NFL commish Roger Goodell defends referees regardless of ongoing controversies: ‘I’m very pleased with what they do’

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly come to the protection of the league’s usually maligned referees. This week, he lauded officers for his or her performances this season, saying they’re doing “a rare job.”

Goodell’s newest evaluation comes after a 2023 season that was riddled with an extended listing of on-field controversies. The angst in direction of officiating from coaches, gamers, and followers carried over into the playoffs.

The Chiefs have been irate over the referee’s choice to not throw a flag on the Miami Dolphins on a crucial play in the course of the wild-card spherical recreation.

“I’m pleased with our officers,” Goodell throughout his latest go to to Michigan, through the Detroit Information. “I believe they do a rare job. They aren’t good — they’re making choices on the market in a matter of seconds — however what we’ve seen in quite a lot of circumstances this 12 months, with out stepping into any specifics, is that they get it proper, they usually’re nonetheless criticized.”

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The downtown Detroit space continues to make preparations forward of April’s NFL Draft. Ford Discipline can be situated downtown, and the Lions house stadium was the positioning of probably the most controversial officiating moments of the 2023 season.

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The officiating crew drew the ire of the NFL world when a Lions go-ahead two-point conversion late within the recreation was negated over a penalty throughout a late December recreation in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys. 

There was a discrepancy over which offensive lineman reported as eligible previous to the snap. Lions offensive sort out Taylor Decker stated he was the participant who reported as eligible, however fellow lineman Dan Skipper was deemed to be the particular person.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visits with referees earlier than kickoff between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Detroit Lions at GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium on September 7, 2023, in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Cooper Neill/Getty Pictures)

On nearly a weekly foundation this season, a perceived dangerous name appears to have overshadowed no matter truly came about on the soccer area. However, Goodell’s job requires him to guard the integrity of the NFL always. 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visits with referees earlier than kickoff between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Detroit Lions at GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium on September 7, 2023, in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Cooper Neill/Getty Pictures)

Though NFL referees can obtain a 401k, they don’t obtain different advantages and are subsequently are usually not thought-about full-time staff. Many imagine the referee’s part-time job standing has solely made the league’s perceived officiating situation worse.

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Goodell additionally complemented officers for his or her capacity to deal with the complexities that include their jobs.

“What we’ve seen in quite a lot of conditions this 12 months — with out stepping into any specifics — is that they get it proper, they usually’re nonetheless criticized,” Goodell stated. “And you understand, there are two groups on the market, so — [for example], is he offsides or not offsides? That’s simply a part of their job. They’re the hardest-working folks I see. They take nice satisfaction in it. There are people who work to attempt to verify they’re contributing to the sport, however we’ve know-how to attempt to do this, too.

“I’m very pleased with what they do.”

Fox Information’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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