Penalties have increased in the NFL this year, but commissioner Roger Goodell says that has nothing to do with the officials.
Asked about officiating and increased penalties, Goodell said officials are evaluated on whether they make the right calls, not how many flags they throw.
“The number of fouls cannot necessarily be an assessment of the officiating,” Goodell said. “Because we don’t commit fouls, right? The officials are there to point out fouls, when they exist. So I think when you evaluate the officiating, you don’t just look at the total number of fouls. I think that’s an inappropriate way to approach things.”
Goodell said he thinks the officiating has improved and the league continues to get more calls.
“We’re taking a deeper look at are they being called correctly? And I’m seeing that every week, sometimes multiple times a week, where we’re reviewing the plays that have been called and the things we want to change and the approaches we want to take,” Goodell said. “I think the changes to our officiating, not just in collective bargaining, but in the offseason with personnel, the processes that we have around replays, including replay assistance, have all been beneficial and have been very positive things. But we’re continuing that effort. We’re always going to continue that effort.”
After Week 4, the NFL suspended linesman Jeff Seeman for two games and referee Adrian Hill for one game for their conduct toward players. Goodell said it’s part of the league’s insistence on good sportsmanship by all.
“Absolutely, we want accountability from our officials,” Goodell said. “But we also want respect between the participants. Not just from one player to another, but the officials play an important role and they must be held to the highest standards.”
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