NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell cited technology as an important part of making the officiating better in the NFL.
“I think our officials do a great job. They are superior. But at the end of the day, no one is perfect,” Goodell said. “We have to continue to try to get better. We have to work, use technology wherever we can to try to improve their performance.”
Goodell didn’t explain precisely how the league will use technology. The league already employs a replay assistant who communicates with the referee during games, but some think the league should add an official, sometimes called a “sky judge,” who’s watching live video and replays and is able to make calls just like the on-field officials can.
There have also been calls to use the chips in NFL footballs and on players’ shoulder pads to assist with officiating, although to this point the league has said those chips don’t provide precise enough information to spot the ball accurately.
Goodell added that improved technology used by the NFL’s broadcast partners makes it easier to scrutinize the officiating.
“I think in the NFL, the level of scrutiny is at the highest I’ve ever seen it,” Goodell said. “You see more than you could ever see before.”
And when fans see blown calls, they don’t like it.
