As expected, the NFL’s Competition Committee isn’t ready to remove the replay function from the stadiums and to send it to the league office or some other centralized function. As expected, the Competition Committee is ready to allow the referee to get some help while conducting the review.
On Wednesday, the Competition Committee explained that it is recommending to ownership a rule that would allow the referee “to consult with members of officiating dept during replay review.”
This means that someone from outside the venue, such as V.P. of officiating Dean Blandino, would be available to talk to the referee as the referee reviews the various camera angles, to ensure that the referee avoids screwing up the decision by applying an incorrect standard or by misinterpreting the visual evidence.
Currently, rulings on the field can be overturned only if indisputable visual evidence exists to overturn it. Currently, that standard often is applied incorrectly.
The proposal applies only to the replay function. The league office won’t be able to intervene if, for example, the officials are committing an obvious blunder on a non-reviewable call.
That’s the way it should be. But that’s not the way it will be, unless the owners decide to modify the proposal, which the owners have the power to do.