NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on officiating: ‘I don’t think it’s ever been better’

NFL fans disagree about pretty much everything but there is one thing almost all fans can commiserate about. The officiating in the NFL is awful. There is an offshoot of this massive group who are willing to go so far as to say some officials “have it out” so to speak for certain teams.

But according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell the officiating in the league is just fine. If you pictured the meme of that little dog sitting at the table saying “This is fine” while the house burns down, you get the point. In fact, according to Goodell, the officiating has never been better.

I think when it comes to officiating in the NFL there are a few things to consider. First, it is grossly inconsistent but nothing is rigged. If you think your team is getting all the bad calls, they are probably contributing to that. Second, the system doesn’t lend itself to improvement because officials are only part-time. Finally, being an official is tough. Players continue to get bigger, faster and stronger and plays come together so fast, it’s remarkable how well officials do.

If there is a real complaint about the officiating it is how poorly the replay system is set up and handled game to game. It creates a longer product, slows the pace down and doesn’t right nearly enough wrongs for all of its downside.