NFL referees have recently faced criticism for what appears to be blatant favoritism towards the Kansas City Chiefs, who have the potential to become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls consecutively if they defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell felt compelled to address these allegations, stating, “A lot of those theories are things that happen in social media and they get a new life,” according to the Associated Press. He emphasized the importance of officiating, calling the accusations “a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously,” while acknowledging the need for ongoing improvements in officiating.
In response to Goodell’s remarks, the NFL Referee Association released an official statement. Scott Green, Executive Director of the NFLRA, remarked, “Commissioner Goodell’s comments that it is ‘ridiculous’ to presume that NFL Officials are not doing everything possible to make the right call on every play is spot on.” He stressed that officiating crews do not work the same team more than twice per regular season, deeming conspiracy theories about collusion among the 138 officials as “insulting and preposterous.” He added, “NFL Officials are graded every week, on every single play of each game. These grades determine who receives postseason assignments, and the NFLRA commends its members for striving to excel at their jobs, ultimately aiming to officiate the Super Bowl.”
Green further stated, “There are many things that fans can worry about over a 17-game season, such as coaching decisions, player injuries, the weather and, yes, even close calls on incredible plays made by incredible athletes. But you can rest assured that on every single down, NFL Officials, both on the field and in the replay booth, are doing everything humanly possible to officiate every play correctly.” However, the necessity of the statement itself drew ire from some fans, as no other team has prompted such measures in the past. A Broncos reporter tweeted, “The fact they even needed to address this speaks volumes,” while another fan commented, “Makes them look even more guilty.” One person added, “Fans are not blind.” It will be interesting to see how the Super Bowl is officiated.
