NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke for about an hour on Wednesday during his annual press conference ahead of the Super Bowl in Arizona. And while Goodell rarely criticizes the league in his well-rehearsed answers, one comment, in particular, had fans in disbelief.
Goodell claimed that the league does not have a problem with its officiating. In fact, he considered it the best it had ever been.
Now, NFL officials do have a difficult job, but they’re also supposed to be the best at what they do. With top referees either retiring or taking lucrative TV jobs, the NFL has been left with officiating crews making inexcusable mistakes that impact games. Just look at this year’s AFC Championship Game.
Here's the full response NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had when asked about the state of officiating.
Goodell came in strong defending officiating despite the heavy criticism from fans, coaches and team executives. pic.twitter.com/GeOv3k5KtF
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 8, 2023
Goodell dismissed the notion that broadcast hires have impacted the quality of officiating. But at the same time, it was wild to hear him claim that there wasn’t a need for significant changes or more accountability from officials.
NFL fans understandably roasted his remarks as well.