With Carl Johnson stepping down as the NFL’s vice president of officiating after the Super Bowl to become one of the league’s first full-time game officials, the league needed a new man to head up the department.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that Dean Blandino will be that man. Blandino is currently league’s director of officiating and has headed up all aspects of the instant replay system for some time. He worked two Super Bowls as a replay official and has never been an on-field official in the NFL.
According to Rapoport, Blandino impressed in his interview with his knowledge of the rule book reportedly standing out. That seems like a fairly important skill for a guy hoping to be in charge of enforcing it, so it’s good to hear that Blandino’s got that under control.
Blandino has long been considered the favorite for the job. It seems that conventional wisdom hit the nail on the head this time.
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How can he be in charge without ever being one?
Like a lawyer being in charge of the Police. Makes sense on some levels but not all…
“So, Dino, we bin watching you. You got potential, an up and coming guy. Whadday you want, head of officiating, or a high level coaching job? Officiating? O.K., kissa my hand and get outta here. I don’t wanna hear nothing bad about you. CAPICHE?”.
Wow! He has never officiated an NFL game on the field? Ok. But has he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express? Just wondering.
And he’d still rule that Golden Tate caught the ball on a simultaneous possession
So Goodell can promote people without having to adhere to any sort of Rooney Rule, but GMs and coaches can’t? Phenomenal double standard.
At least his name kind of rhymes
And Johnson is very difficult to understand when he’s on tv trying to explain plays as well as painful to listen to.
I smell a fix