While admitting that a late pass interference penalty against the Rams' Nickell Robey-Coleman "should have been called," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said such plays likely won't be something the league will approve for expanded replay anytime soon.
Speaking at his annual state-of-the-league interview in Atlanta, Goodell said the NFL will continue to look at ways to improve replay, as it does every year. But that probably won't include making judgment calls open to review.
"We will look again at instant replay," Goodell said. "There have been a variety of proposals over the last, frankly, 15 or 20 years, of 'should replay be expanded?' It does not cover judgment calls.
"The other complication is that it was a no-call. Our coaches and clubs have been very resistant, and there has not been support to date, about having a replay official or somebody in New York throw a flag when there's no flag. They have not voted for that in the past. It doesn't mean that we won't; it's something that we're going to put to the competition committee, see if there's an answer to that, but the reality is that's been at least in opposition philosophically for many clubs."
The Steelers have been among those. Mike Tomlin, who sits on the league's competition committee, said he's not in favor of expanding replay, even after the Steelers were hurt by what many felt was at least one pass interference call against Joe Haden on a fourth-down play in a 31-28 loss in New Orleans Dec. 23. The Steelers also felt a second pass interference call against Haden on another fourth-down play later in the game was unwarranted. Both kept drives alive that led to touchdowns by the Saints.
"I just worry about the entertainment component of it and what that does for fans and the viewership, what that looks like," Tomlin said in the aftermath of that game. "But given some of the things that have happened, I’m sure it will be up for debate as it always is and has been in recent years because of technology and the amount of coverage that our game at this level gets.
"It’s just part of our business today, and so I think we all understand that."
The Saints and their fans have been a little less understanding. The Saints would have likely beaten the Rams and been playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Instead, questions regarding the play — and what the league can do about it to ensure it doesn't happen — dominated Goodell's press conference.
"We understand the frustration of the fans," Goodell said. "I've talked to (Saints coach Sean Payton), the team, the players. We understand the frustration they feel. We certainly want to address that. Whenever officiating is part of any kind of discussion post-game, it's never a good outcome for us."
It will be up to the competition committee to come up with ideas on how to affect real change without diluting the game on the field.
And it will have to look at not just the effects of what those changes might be, but the other things it might lead to, as well.
"What are the unintended consequences to that solution?" Goodell asked. "And that's part of this issue of not wanting a replay official or official back in New York throwing the flag on the no-call. If that happens, you could have multiple fouls on a play that people are looking at. Now there [are] solutions for this, and I'm not suggesting that; that's what the committee has to focus in on. What are the solutions? What are the unintended consequences? And come up with something that we think can keep the competitive nature of our game, but also improve officiating."