Al Riveron is out as the person with ultimate authority over replay-review decisions. It’s unknown who will be in.
Walt Anderson and Perry Fewell will receive greater responsibilities, and Russell Yurk will be involved in the game-day review process (as he has been). However, to the extent that Riveron had final say over replay decisions from 2017 through 2020, it’s not known who, if anyone, will possess that type of power moving forward.
There’s surely a plan. As one source with knowledge of the dynamics explained it to PFT, Riveron’s departure has been in the works for a while. The fact that the news emerged on the day of the first preseason game of 2021 hardly means that this happened out of the blue.
Still, whatever the strategy, the details have not yet been provided. It’s a fairly important point as the regular season approaches.
Previously, the referee at each game had the power to apply the replay standard. The league reconfigured the process with the goal of having one person consistently apply one standard. That system specifically was crafted for former senior V.P. of officiating Dean Blandino. But Blandino left for FOX in 2017, getting more money for far fewer difficulties and sources of stress.
The best approach for the league office would be to bring Blandino back and put him in charge of the replay process. However, and as Blandino has said himself, the league doesn’t value that position the way it should.
And so the league will continue without Blandino. Ultimately, one person needs to be in charge of the process. That person needs to have the ability to apply the “clear and obvious evidence” standard accurately, consistently, and quickly.
