Report: NFL head of officiating could lose job

[January 22, 2019]  The job status of the NFL's senior vice president of officiating, Alberto Riveron, could be in question after a blown call Sunday in the NFC Championship Game likely cost the New Orleans Saints a Super Bowl appearance.

NBC's Peter King quoted a source Monday who said, "Al Riveron (EVP of Officiating) is gone. He can't survive this."

King added that another source said the league would have to pay a lot of money to get Dean Blandino or Mike Pereira (the latter "a less likely candidate," per King) to return to the position. Both men once held the VP of officiating title before moving into television as rules analysts.

Riveron was promoted to the position before the 2017 season to fill the vacancy created by Blandino's departure for Fox Sports. Last January, multiple outlets reported Riveron would remain in the position for the 2018 season despite several high-profile officiating controversies, including one that led to the competition committee overhauling the catch rule last offseason.

Riveron was senior director of officiating before being promoted to replace Blandino. He became the first Hispanic NFL referee in 2008.

Blandino suggested in December 2017, not long after leaving the league, that he could be persuaded to return to his old post if the position were valued more within the league office.

On Sunday, Saints head coach Sean Payton said he spoke with Riveron via phone shortly after New Orleans' loss to the Los Angeles Rams, saying Riveron admitted to a blown non-call on a play that should have been ruled pass interference in the final two minutes of regulation.

"The explanation ... it was simple," Payton said of his discussion with Riveron. "They blew the call. Not only was it (pass) interference, but it was helmet-to-helmet (contact). That was the first thing Al said. ...

"I don't know if there was ever a more obvious pass interference call. That's a tough one to swallow."

Had the call been made, with the score 20-20, the Saints would have been able to run the clock down and attempt a short field goal as time expired. Instead, they were forced to kick with 1:41 remaining, leaving time for the Rams to tie the game and force overtime, where the Saints went on to lose 26-23.

Referee Bill Vinovich briefly addressed the play during a postgame interview with a pool reporter.

"It was a judgment call by the covering official," Vinovich said. "I personally have not seen the play. ... It is not a reviewable play."

Multiple outlets reported Monday that the league will look closely this offseason at potentially changing that matter, perhaps making pass interference reviewable along with other "judgment" calls that have not been reviewable previously.

Saints owner Gayle Benson released a statement Monday saying she was "thoroughly disappointed" with the lack of "fair and equitable" decision-making from the referees, adding she has been in touch with the league and will "aggressively pursue changes" to prevent future errors from happening.

The officials on the field closest to the play in question were side judge Gary Cavaletto and down judge Patrick Turner. It's unclear whether either will face discipline, although the league let go of down judge Hugo Cruz in October, less than two weeks after he missed a false start on a play that resulted in a Los Angeles Chargers touchdown against the Cleveland Browns.

--Field Level Media

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