WEBVTT - The OTP | Week 18 with Brian Callahan

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<v Speaker 1>This is the OTP presented by Far Bureau Health Plans.

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<v Speaker 1>When it's game day for your health coverage, trust far

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<v Speaker 1>Bureau Health Plans to draw up a winning play for you.

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<v Speaker 1>They've been backing Tennesseeans for nearly eighty years. We welcome

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<v Speaker 1>in head coach Brian Callahan for his usual visit. Brian,

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of these mondays with us have been tough

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<v Speaker 1>for you, and we must just for things they have.

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<v Speaker 1>But you guys keep it, you guys enjoy it. We try.

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<v Speaker 1>So let me ask you a serious question. How have

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<v Speaker 1>you been able to keep perspective through all of this.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a challenge, you know, because everything is so weak

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<v Speaker 2>to week in the league and you and you feel

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<v Speaker 2>every loss so intensely, you know, and then they pile

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<v Speaker 2>up and there's just it just feels like it's a

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<v Speaker 2>bit of a beat down. So it is difficult to

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<v Speaker 2>keep the perspective. But I do have I do try

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<v Speaker 2>to focus on the things that one I can control

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<v Speaker 2>and two that that are positive. And so you keep

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<v Speaker 2>trying to find positives and all the experiences, keep trying

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<v Speaker 2>to build the team and messaging to the team the

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<v Speaker 2>way that you want it to be done. And ultimately

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<v Speaker 2>with an eye towards you know what's to come, and

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<v Speaker 2>you know another personnel cycle and another offseason and another year.

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<v Speaker 2>For me, the amount of growth I've gone through this

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<v Speaker 2>year has been pretty remarkable, and there's a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>things that I'll I'll continue to adapt in evolve as

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<v Speaker 2>I learned how to be a head coach and learned

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of hard lessons this year, and those are

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<v Speaker 2>the things that sort of keep me going. The challenge

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<v Speaker 2>of it is what really keeps me going.

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<v Speaker 1>Is the challenge of being consistent. The number one thing

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<v Speaker 1>you have to focus upon.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's an emotional game. You know, there's a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of emotions that run in wins and losses. And I

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<v Speaker 2>think I've always felt like the best teams handle winning

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<v Speaker 2>the same way they handle losing, and I try to

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<v Speaker 2>be that even amidst a lot of losses this year's

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<v Speaker 2>you still try to be critical of performance and but

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<v Speaker 2>but coach and encourage and keep keep moving forward and

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<v Speaker 2>keep trying to get better. But those are the consistency part,

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<v Speaker 2>I think is something that I've had to really focus

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<v Speaker 2>on because you can get you can get lost in

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<v Speaker 2>the negativity of it all sometimes and you have to

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<v Speaker 2>work really hard to stay consistent when it gets really difficult.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's easy to stay consistent when it's good, sure,

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<v Speaker 2>but the you learn a lot about a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>about people players, about how people react to adversity when

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<v Speaker 2>things don't go the way you plan and and don't

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<v Speaker 2>go as well as you want them to. But the

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<v Speaker 2>consistency part is something that I work really hard at

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<v Speaker 2>and I think I do a decent job of it.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, it's certainly not easy.

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<v Speaker 3>I appreciate Mike asking a broad philosophical question. I am

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<v Speaker 3>here to get down to brass tacks.

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<v Speaker 1>I guess here I am.

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<v Speaker 3>Have you decided who is going to be your quarterback

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<v Speaker 3>this Sunday?

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<v Speaker 1>Not yet.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm actually leaning towards having both of them play at

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<v Speaker 2>this point. To be honest, I'm not sure who's going

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<v Speaker 2>to start or who's going to play when, but preliminarily

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<v Speaker 2>thinking that that they both might on this week.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, we'll see from that standpoint, getting a chance

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<v Speaker 1>to play both guys, what do you think that gives

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<v Speaker 1>you in the last game and gives you headed toward

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<v Speaker 1>the off season.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, just one more shot to play good football for

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<v Speaker 2>you know, Will has been on the on the bench

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<v Speaker 2>for two games, and Mason's done some good things, but

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<v Speaker 2>yet still haven't found a way to win the games

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<v Speaker 2>that he's played, and so just give him one more

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<v Speaker 2>chance to go out and play good football and see

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<v Speaker 2>if see if they can improve on their performance. Ultimately,

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<v Speaker 2>that's what we're looking for, is to find a way

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<v Speaker 2>to win. We haven't won a lot of games and

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<v Speaker 2>need to need to try to finish strong.

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<v Speaker 3>As it pertains to injuries, are there any injured players

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<v Speaker 3>that you're already ready to say they're not going to

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<v Speaker 3>be playing on Sunday.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it'll be hard for for Taji to clear

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<v Speaker 2>the protocol fast enough to play Sunday. I'm not going

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<v Speaker 2>to rule him out or by any means, but you know,

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<v Speaker 2>concussions generally, it's generally a one game miss for the

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<v Speaker 2>most part over a history, so I'm not counting on

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<v Speaker 2>him being able to make it. Everybody else has a chance,

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<v Speaker 2>and we'll see as the as the week pushes forward,

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<v Speaker 2>some of the guys that missed this last week might

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<v Speaker 2>have a chance to get back and play, So we'll see.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm optimistic about a lot of them, but you never

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<v Speaker 2>you never really know until you get out to practice

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<v Speaker 2>by Wednesday, so too early to tell officially, but but

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<v Speaker 2>optimistic on a couple of guys.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's get back. Goes back up to Taj just a second.

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<v Speaker 1>He showed something different in the game at Jacksonville. He

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<v Speaker 1>showed he has the ability to be a lead back.

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<v Speaker 2>Right he certainly did. He was a really impressive performance.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I think the the the tough part of

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<v Speaker 2>it was I think he took a five yard loss

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<v Speaker 2>in that last carry that knocked him off his hundred

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<v Speaker 2>one hundred. So but yeah, he he performed fantastic. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>he looked explosive, He ran hard, he ran strong, he

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<v Speaker 2>was physical, protected the ball great, put the ball in

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<v Speaker 2>the right spots in the in the run game, and

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<v Speaker 2>you know, we run for almost one hundred and sixty

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<v Speaker 2>yards or whatever it was, and he was a large

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<v Speaker 2>part of that. So a really impressive performance and then

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<v Speaker 2>a bummer that that he couldn't finish it out because

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<v Speaker 2>I thought he would have, you know, would have been

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<v Speaker 2>a banner day for him on top of what he

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<v Speaker 2>are he had so good to see for him. He's

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<v Speaker 2>played really good football for us for the last month

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<v Speaker 2>and that's really been positive.

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<v Speaker 3>As we turn to the Houston Texans, we know that

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<v Speaker 3>their playoff position is locked in, but we don't exactly

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<v Speaker 3>know how much their starters are going to be playing

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<v Speaker 3>on Sunday. Does that mean that for you, on both

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<v Speaker 3>offense and defense, you have to have a pretty fluid

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<v Speaker 3>game plan.

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<v Speaker 2>I think you just you prepare like they're all gonna play,

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<v Speaker 2>and then you just adjust from there. You know, that's

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<v Speaker 2>that suits you. The The gist of it for us

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<v Speaker 2>is that all their best players are gonna play, and

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<v Speaker 2>if they don't, they don't. You know, I think they

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<v Speaker 2>they've last played on Wednesday. It's a long layoff between

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<v Speaker 2>there and the first playoff game for them. So you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not I'm not in their building. I don't coach

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<v Speaker 2>the football team, but I do think that my perspective

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<v Speaker 2>would be, you'd want some guys to play a little bit,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, just to keep keep your keep your skills sharp,

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<v Speaker 2>and get yourself ready to go to for the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 2>And so we'll see, and I just will plan on

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<v Speaker 2>like they're all gonna play, and if they don't, they don't.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, And they've got some guys too, like mixing seven

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<v Speaker 1>yards short of a thousand yards rushing. Collins is thirty

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<v Speaker 1>two yards short of a thousand yards receiving, and those

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<v Speaker 1>things matter too, very much, so for personal goals in

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<v Speaker 1>some cases contractual goals as well.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, those are all parts of the process. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>those are things that guys are aware of. It means

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<v Speaker 2>something to them. They're they're very significant statistical markers that

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<v Speaker 2>guys want to hit.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, they're there.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sure those guys are going to try to get

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<v Speaker 2>what they need, just like you know, we want Calvin

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<v Speaker 2>to get a thousand yards. You know, those are all

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<v Speaker 2>things that we want guys to be able to achieve

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<v Speaker 2>and give them the opportunity.

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<v Speaker 4>To do it.

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<v Speaker 3>You beat the Texans in the first game in Houston.

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<v Speaker 3>What are some things from that contest that you want

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<v Speaker 3>to replicate here on Sunday.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the way our defense played and the way

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<v Speaker 2>they covered it was really an impressive performance. I'd like

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<v Speaker 2>to see that again. I thought we rushed the quarterback

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<v Speaker 2>pretty good in that game as well. I think we

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<v Speaker 2>put cgen or some duress. Offensively, we generated some explosive plays,

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<v Speaker 2>like to do that again, but I thought we protected

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<v Speaker 2>well against a pretty good rush group. So I'd like

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<v Speaker 2>to see that continue. They got good players on the edges,

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<v Speaker 2>they got a good interior rush, they can they got

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<v Speaker 2>a good scheme. So it's a good challenge for us,

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<v Speaker 2>a good way to finish the season. All right, let's

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<v Speaker 2>wrap up with this Pro Bowl comes out on Thursday.

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<v Speaker 2>Who are some of your Tennessee Titans that you think

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<v Speaker 2>have had Pro Bowl worthy seasons in twenty twenty four. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I think Jeff certainly has. He's still one of the

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<v Speaker 2>most disruptive interior players in football. Plays the run in

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<v Speaker 2>the pass equally well. He doesn't maybe have the sack

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<v Speaker 2>production that some of these interior guys have, but as

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<v Speaker 2>far as impact on our team, he's one of them.

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<v Speaker 2>I think Mamani Hooker's played really well. I think he

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<v Speaker 2>should deserve to be in the conversation with some of

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<v Speaker 2>the safeties run the league. His ball production has been

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<v Speaker 2>really good. I think also Luke Gifford as a special

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<v Speaker 2>teams player is Pro Bowl worthy. I think he's a

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<v Speaker 2>fantastic special teams player on top of the fact that

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<v Speaker 2>he's filled in very well for us at linebacker, but

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<v Speaker 2>as a special teams player, he's fantastic. And then the

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<v Speaker 2>guy that I think is really underrated is Pete Skronsky.

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<v Speaker 2>I think Pete's put together a really, really nice season.

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<v Speaker 2>I put him up against any of the Pro Bowl

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<v Speaker 2>guards right now. I think he's been fantastic, particularly the

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<v Speaker 2>last half of the year. He's been lights out. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>he's really playing good football. So those are the guys

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<v Speaker 2>I think are the ones. Tony Pollard probably belongs in

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<v Speaker 2>the discussion. Although it's a crowded discussion for running back

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<v Speaker 2>right now, but I think Tony Pollard should be at

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<v Speaker 2>least discussed amongst some of the better backs in football.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I think those are those are probably the

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<v Speaker 2>guys that earned the recognition. Again, receivers are crowded. There's

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of receivers that are really productive. But I

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<v Speaker 2>think Calvin's played really well for us too. Whether or

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<v Speaker 2>not that where it's a Pro Bowl not or not,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know. I just appreciate how he's played. But yeah, there,

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<v Speaker 2>I think that we've got a couple of guys that

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<v Speaker 2>should be at least in the conversation for some of

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<v Speaker 2>those spots.

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<v Speaker 1>Hard to believe it's the last one.

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<v Speaker 2>It really is, It really is. It's hard to believe.

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<v Speaker 2>It's almost some coming up on a year. I know,

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<v Speaker 2>just the amount of things that have gone on and

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<v Speaker 2>the work and the ups and downs and all the

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<v Speaker 2>things that happened in your first year. It's, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>first year sort of coming to a close, and now

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<v Speaker 2>you reflect and get better and go attack the second year.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, Ryan Callahan, we always appreciate you.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>Coming up next, Mike Pereira, Fox's Rules Analyst. He is

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<v Speaker 1>after the break.

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<v Speaker 3>Stay with us, Hey Titans fans With a Kroger Boost membership,

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<v Speaker 3>You'll score big with double fuel points, free delivery, and

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<v Speaker 3>Kroger official grocer of the Tennessee Titans.

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<v Speaker 1>Tighten Up Holm is at the forefront of all that

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<v Speaker 1>we do. It's why we're so committed to caring for

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<v Speaker 1>the places and spaces in which we work and live.

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<v Speaker 1>Ashley the official furniture provider of the Tennessee Titans, now

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<v Speaker 1>joined by Fox's Rules Analyst, who was the NFL's Vice

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<v Speaker 1>President of Officiating from two thousand and four through twenty ten.

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<v Speaker 1>You know him, Mike Pereira, Welcome.

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<v Speaker 5>You know you keep saying those years two thousand and four. Man,

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<v Speaker 5>I just feel myself getting so much older. God seems

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<v Speaker 5>like forever. I'm great. I'm absolutely great. Happy Holidays, stall Well.

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<v Speaker 1>I interviewed you the year you got the job. You

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<v Speaker 1>and I did a long phone interview in two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and four for Titans Radio the year you got the job,

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<v Speaker 1>and you were explaining what the job was really it

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<v Speaker 1>was great.

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<v Speaker 4>Wow, great coach Mack maybe with us.

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<v Speaker 1>Coach Mack was on the staff at that point.

0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:27.400
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, Oh, he was still on the staff, Mike.

0:10:27.440 --> 0:10:30.760
<v Speaker 1>That was Coach Mack's first year on the staff for

0:10:30.920 --> 0:10:35.600
<v Speaker 1>Jeff Fisher, as he replaced Gunther Cunningham. Wow. Who went

0:10:35.640 --> 0:10:38.160
<v Speaker 1>back to Kansas City, the late great Gunther Cunningham.

0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:39.160
<v Speaker 4>Wow.

0:10:39.320 --> 0:10:41.920
<v Speaker 1>All right, So two topics to begin with, and these

0:10:42.760 --> 0:10:45.720
<v Speaker 1>neither has anything to do with your job now, except

0:10:45.720 --> 0:10:49.200
<v Speaker 1>that you missed last season after you had some serious

0:10:49.320 --> 0:10:52.319
<v Speaker 1>back issues. You had some back surgery. So it would

0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:55.680
<v Speaker 1>be poor of me, poor form to not ask you,

0:10:55.800 --> 0:10:57.280
<v Speaker 1>Mike Pereira, how you do it.

0:10:57.880 --> 0:11:01.439
<v Speaker 5>I got my life back thanks to a surgeon at

0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:07.080
<v Speaker 5>uc SF in San Francisco, a doctor Sigurd Boervin, who

0:11:07.200 --> 0:11:11.640
<v Speaker 5>somebody recommended to me. I was done I was cooked.

0:11:12.960 --> 0:11:16.640
<v Speaker 5>I couldn't walk, I couldn't get out of bed. Basically

0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:21.560
<v Speaker 5>when I could, I was on a walker and my

0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:23.880
<v Speaker 5>life was over as I knew it. I mean, it

0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:27.839
<v Speaker 5>really was. And when you feel that way, when you're

0:11:27.920 --> 0:11:30.520
<v Speaker 5>active like we are, some of the thoughts that go

0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:35.319
<v Speaker 5>through your head are not good ones, but they almost

0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:40.560
<v Speaker 5>it's almost assuredly they're going to appear. And I went

0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:43.960
<v Speaker 5>through the surgery I had. I was fused on seven

0:11:44.000 --> 0:11:48.640
<v Speaker 5>different levels in my back. I have more metal than spine.

0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:48.959
<v Speaker 4>In my back.

0:11:50.440 --> 0:11:54.520
<v Speaker 5>And three months three months after I had the surgery,

0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:59.520
<v Speaker 5>which was approximately on November one, twenty twenty three, at

0:11:59.520 --> 0:12:04.120
<v Speaker 5>eight thirty in the morning, three months after, I was

0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:08.800
<v Speaker 5>walking a mile and now I walk two to three miles.

0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:09.680
<v Speaker 4>And I can do.

0:12:10.160 --> 0:12:14.040
<v Speaker 5>Everything I used to do, except I can't tie my

0:12:14.160 --> 0:12:15.040
<v Speaker 5>damn shoes.

0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:16.439
<v Speaker 4>I can't.

0:12:17.000 --> 0:12:19.720
<v Speaker 5>I can't bend over that far. And when it comes

0:12:19.720 --> 0:12:21.800
<v Speaker 5>to putting out stop putting on socks. I have a

0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:25.120
<v Speaker 5>little contraption that I have to put my sock over

0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:26.800
<v Speaker 5>and then pull them up with straps.

0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:30.160
<v Speaker 4>But I'm the luckiest man in the world.

0:12:30.320 --> 0:12:30.920
<v Speaker 1>That's great.

0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:35.120
<v Speaker 5>I'm a football person. I divide my life into quarters. First, second, third,

0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:38.200
<v Speaker 5>and fourth, and the fourth quarter starts over an age

0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:41.040
<v Speaker 5>span of one hundred starts at age seventy five. And

0:12:41.080 --> 0:12:45.440
<v Speaker 5>I'm headed into the fourth quarter now, and I've been

0:12:45.480 --> 0:12:48.600
<v Speaker 5>given a second chance, and I'm just the luckiest guy

0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:49.160
<v Speaker 5>in the world.

0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:53.880
<v Speaker 3>That's great, that's so good to hear. Well, my topic

0:12:53.960 --> 0:12:55.680
<v Speaker 3>that we need to cover is a little more goofy.

0:12:55.720 --> 0:12:58.640
<v Speaker 3>It's kind of silly, but in the season opener, you

0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:02.439
<v Speaker 3>were trending all of cross social media. You were everywhere

0:13:02.559 --> 0:13:06.319
<v Speaker 3>because you left Tom Brady hanging giving him a fist bump,

0:13:06.960 --> 0:13:08.400
<v Speaker 3>and I'm gonna leave you hanging.

0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:11.439
<v Speaker 1>Ry, Oh, come on you and Tom.

0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:14.640
<v Speaker 3>Brady ended your alleged feude.

0:13:14.840 --> 0:13:16.120
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, are you still fighting?

0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:17.640
<v Speaker 4>You know the.

0:13:18.080 --> 0:13:20.240
<v Speaker 5>Funny part of that thing. Of course you don't realize

0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:24.000
<v Speaker 5>it when it's happened. But the thing is the setup

0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:26.520
<v Speaker 5>that I have in the booth. I have to reach

0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:29.600
<v Speaker 5>down and push a button to talk. So just when

0:13:29.679 --> 0:13:33.160
<v Speaker 5>Kevin Burkhart was kind of introducing me, I didn't think

0:13:33.200 --> 0:13:35.880
<v Speaker 5>I was gonna say anything. I think it was just

0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.120
<v Speaker 5>just gonna be a shot of us. And then he

0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:40.120
<v Speaker 5>made a reference to me and I had to say something.

0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:43.400
<v Speaker 5>So just as Tom stuck his hand out. I looked

0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.040
<v Speaker 5>down to my button to push my dang button so

0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:48.560
<v Speaker 5>that I could talk, and of course it came. It

0:13:48.640 --> 0:13:52.000
<v Speaker 5>looked like the ultimate rejection for Tom. And then of

0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:54.920
<v Speaker 5>course they showed videos of him on the sideline at

0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:59.040
<v Speaker 5>a different time to getting ignored by something. So then

0:13:59.080 --> 0:14:02.079
<v Speaker 5>the following week Ian Blantino was in my spot, and

0:14:02.120 --> 0:14:05.160
<v Speaker 5>then they made a concerted effort to fist bump and

0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:07.840
<v Speaker 5>make it look perfect, which made me look even worse.

0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:12.719
<v Speaker 5>But yes, Tom and I have we have made up,

0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:15.360
<v Speaker 5>and we have spent a lot of time together since then,

0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:19.760
<v Speaker 5>and yet we have not found an occasion to fist bump,

0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:25.760
<v Speaker 5>And maybe we will this this coming week seventeen or

0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:29.160
<v Speaker 5>into week eighteen. But it's actually been a pleasure to

0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:31.280
<v Speaker 5>be standing next to him during the course of games.

0:14:31.520 --> 0:14:35.600
<v Speaker 1>A potential Christmas miracle. We'll see the fish pump, all right.

0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:40.360
<v Speaker 1>So let's talk officiating. My prayer, is there a real

0:14:40.600 --> 0:14:46.120
<v Speaker 1>movement afoot to finally change the pass interference penalty on

0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:50.440
<v Speaker 1>the defense from a spot foul to a fifteen yard penalty.

0:14:51.200 --> 0:14:54.080
<v Speaker 5>I so wish, Mike that I could say that there is,

0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:57.760
<v Speaker 5>But there isn't. I mean, the Competition Committee is definitely

0:14:57.840 --> 0:15:01.480
<v Speaker 5>afraid of taking away the deep vertical path, and I

0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:03.880
<v Speaker 5>am definitely afraid of the same thing that I saw

0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.080
<v Speaker 5>when I worked in the league office and ran the

0:15:06.120 --> 0:15:10.560
<v Speaker 5>officiating program, and those were forty fifty yards incorrect calls

0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:14.560
<v Speaker 5>that were made. They gave fifty yards chunk yards to

0:15:14.680 --> 0:15:17.160
<v Speaker 5>a team that didn't deserve it. And I would argue

0:15:17.160 --> 0:15:20.200
<v Speaker 5>with the competition committee that much like we do in

0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:23.480
<v Speaker 5>the spring leagues now, where we use the college rule.

0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:25.840
<v Speaker 5>You know, they always say to me, well, if a

0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:28.400
<v Speaker 5>defender gets beat, then he's just going to reach out

0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:32.000
<v Speaker 5>and tackle a guy. And I say, do you watch

0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:35.640
<v Speaker 5>college football. If they're close enough to commit pass interference,

0:15:35.840 --> 0:15:39.400
<v Speaker 5>they're trying to make the play. That's not true. They

0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:44.280
<v Speaker 5>don't just tackle people. And I even conceded to changing.

0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:45.960
<v Speaker 4>The rule to say, if it is.

0:15:45.840 --> 0:15:48.960
<v Speaker 5>An intentional act of just tackling a guy and not

0:15:49.080 --> 0:15:52.200
<v Speaker 5>making any type of play, then we could make that

0:15:52.240 --> 0:15:55.200
<v Speaker 5>one a spot foul. But no, I don't see it

0:15:55.440 --> 0:15:58.720
<v Speaker 5>on the horizon. I don't see it on my time.

0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:01.720
<v Speaker 5>Anytime they've tried I did do anything with pass interference,

0:16:01.760 --> 0:16:06.960
<v Speaker 5>including making it reviewable in replay, it's failed. And so

0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:10.000
<v Speaker 5>I just don't see that they have that appetite, even

0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:11.880
<v Speaker 5>though I sure wish.

0:16:11.760 --> 0:16:15.440
<v Speaker 3>They would my PRAYERRA twenty twenty four has been the

0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:19.680
<v Speaker 3>year of the dynamic kickoff. Do you think it's still

0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:25.320
<v Speaker 3>too early to call that change to the kickoff a success?

0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:28.160
<v Speaker 3>That is a permanent fixture in NFL football.

0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:31.520
<v Speaker 5>I'm not too early to call it a success.

0:16:32.280 --> 0:16:32.600
<v Speaker 4>Now.

0:16:32.760 --> 0:16:34.960
<v Speaker 5>I think that it will change, I think, but the

0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:39.080
<v Speaker 5>changes will be tweaked. Look, what were the two reasons

0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:41.480
<v Speaker 5>that they were looking for? The two results they were

0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:46.600
<v Speaker 5>looking for less concussions and more returns. There are less concussions,

0:16:46.600 --> 0:16:49.640
<v Speaker 5>although we haven't seen that final data. From what we've

0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:52.760
<v Speaker 5>seen so far, that's certainly a positive. What about the

0:16:52.840 --> 0:16:56.880
<v Speaker 5>number of returns, well, they've gone from nineteen percent to

0:16:57.000 --> 0:17:00.560
<v Speaker 5>thirty two percent. What about the average drive start? It's

0:17:00.560 --> 0:17:04.520
<v Speaker 5>actually gone to twenty nine point five? Is the is

0:17:04.560 --> 0:17:07.840
<v Speaker 5>the average yards where you know the offense takes over

0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:08.200
<v Speaker 5>the ball.

0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:11.240
<v Speaker 4>So I believe, although.

0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:15.000
<v Speaker 5>This is a temporary rule and has to be voted positively,

0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:17.200
<v Speaker 5>it has to be a positive vote by twenty four

0:17:17.200 --> 0:17:20.520
<v Speaker 5>of the thirty two owners, I believe it will pass again,

0:17:21.400 --> 0:17:26.360
<v Speaker 5>and maybe if it kind of copies how instant replay went.

0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:29.520
<v Speaker 5>They might say two years next time and make it

0:17:29.560 --> 0:17:30.720
<v Speaker 5>a temporary.

0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:33.440
<v Speaker 4>Two year rule. But what tweaks will they look at.

0:17:33.560 --> 0:17:37.600
<v Speaker 5>I don't think they're quite satisfied with thirty two percent returns.

0:17:37.640 --> 0:17:40.639
<v Speaker 5>I think they want to see more along the forty

0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:44.280
<v Speaker 5>four to forty five percent returns. So what's the easiest

0:17:44.320 --> 0:17:46.880
<v Speaker 5>way to do that. Well, maybe back up the kickoff

0:17:46.920 --> 0:17:50.359
<v Speaker 5>so you kick off from five yards further downfield. But

0:17:50.440 --> 0:17:53.160
<v Speaker 5>I think the main one would be take touchbacks. If

0:17:53.200 --> 0:17:56.840
<v Speaker 5>a ball's kicked into the end zone and doesn't bounce

0:17:56.920 --> 0:17:58.959
<v Speaker 5>into the end zone. If it's kicked into the end

0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:02.760
<v Speaker 5>zone right now, it goes to the thirty I think

0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:05.119
<v Speaker 5>they're more wise to move it to the thirty five

0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:08.760
<v Speaker 5>because now you're a total of six yards over the

0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:12.240
<v Speaker 5>average drive start, and there's more incentive to keep a

0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:15.639
<v Speaker 5>team from kicking it into the end zone. Look, the

0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:18.239
<v Speaker 5>touchback last year was the twenty five yard line, this

0:18:18.320 --> 0:18:20.919
<v Speaker 5>year it's the thirty. Team said I'll give up the

0:18:20.960 --> 0:18:24.040
<v Speaker 5>extra five. That's not that big of a deal. Extra

0:18:24.160 --> 0:18:26.840
<v Speaker 5>ten that's a little bit more big of a deal.

0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:31.879
<v Speaker 5>So I kind of predict that we will see the

0:18:32.000 --> 0:18:35.240
<v Speaker 5>rule passing in maybe for another one of two years

0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:39.480
<v Speaker 5>with the touchback going to the thirty five yard line,

0:18:39.520 --> 0:18:42.439
<v Speaker 5>and if they do that, I do think will be

0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:46.399
<v Speaker 5>I think this rule will be around for quite a while.

0:18:46.680 --> 0:18:49.520
<v Speaker 1>Hey, Titans fan, seat geek makes it easy to find

0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:52.159
<v Speaker 1>tickets so you can be a part of all the

0:18:52.240 --> 0:18:54.040
<v Speaker 1>touchdown celebrations this season.

0:18:54.160 --> 0:18:56.800
<v Speaker 3>Whether you're buying or selling football tickets, seat geek is

0:18:56.840 --> 0:18:59.160
<v Speaker 3>the place to do it. Seat Geek is the official

0:18:59.200 --> 0:19:01.560
<v Speaker 3>primary ticketing partner of the Tennessee Titan.

0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:06.879
<v Speaker 1>The most disruptive idea in ticketing ticket that works expect

0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:08.320
<v Speaker 1>the expected. See geek.

0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:09.240
<v Speaker 3>C K.

0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:14.480
<v Speaker 1>Made a rookie mistake this football season, Maybe you should

0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:16.840
<v Speaker 1>have had snickers because now.

0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:19.000
<v Speaker 3>You can enter for the chance to turn those rookie

0:19:19.000 --> 0:19:22.600
<v Speaker 3>mistakes into prizes, including a trip to Super Bowl fifty nine.

0:19:22.920 --> 0:19:28.080
<v Speaker 1>Visit snickers dot com slash Rookie Mistakes for details. Mike.

0:19:28.119 --> 0:19:31.800
<v Speaker 1>In twenty twenty four, we have noticed the impact of

0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:36.959
<v Speaker 1>replay assist very consistently. In your opinion, is that a

0:19:37.040 --> 0:19:40.320
<v Speaker 1>positive or a negative for NFL officials?

0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:43.240
<v Speaker 5>Well, there might's the main question who's at the benefit

0:19:43.320 --> 0:19:46.240
<v Speaker 5>for Is the benefit for the game or is the

0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:49.240
<v Speaker 5>be benefit for the officials. I think the benefit is

0:19:49.280 --> 0:19:51.680
<v Speaker 5>there for the game those of us that watch the game,

0:19:52.640 --> 0:19:56.199
<v Speaker 5>we have less stoppages that take two or two and

0:19:56.200 --> 0:19:59.720
<v Speaker 5>a half minutes. That's the benefit. Is it good for

0:19:59.760 --> 0:20:03.760
<v Speaker 5>the officials, that's a different story. You know, I'm not

0:20:03.960 --> 0:20:07.480
<v Speaker 5>popular within the ranks sometimes when I say that I

0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:10.199
<v Speaker 5>don't think officiating is as good as it used to be.

0:20:11.359 --> 0:20:14.600
<v Speaker 5>Officials don't like to hear that. But the fact is,

0:20:14.720 --> 0:20:18.520
<v Speaker 5>technology controls the game at this point. You know, back

0:20:18.520 --> 0:20:21.520
<v Speaker 5>when I officiated, which was a long time ago, so

0:20:21.600 --> 0:20:24.679
<v Speaker 5>we're talking about ninety six and ninety seven, you know,

0:20:24.840 --> 0:20:28.120
<v Speaker 5>we were responsible to run the game. I mean, if

0:20:28.160 --> 0:20:31.880
<v Speaker 5>you threw a pass interference flag, you had to determine.

0:20:31.480 --> 0:20:34.440
<v Speaker 4>Even though you weren't absolutely certain.

0:20:34.160 --> 0:20:36.040
<v Speaker 5>And you were ways away, you have to you had

0:20:36.080 --> 0:20:39.000
<v Speaker 5>to determine where the spot of the fowl was. If

0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:40.800
<v Speaker 5>there was a runner that went out of bounds, you

0:20:40.880 --> 0:20:44.600
<v Speaker 5>had determined whether to determine whether or not he was

0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:47.120
<v Speaker 5>at the thirty seven or the thirty eight yard line.

0:20:47.200 --> 0:20:52.399
<v Speaker 5>And grant you, you weren't always accurate. But now you know,

0:20:52.520 --> 0:20:55.600
<v Speaker 5>the big guy comes in. You know, you call pass

0:20:55.680 --> 0:20:57.680
<v Speaker 5>interference and the next thing you know, in your ear

0:20:57.760 --> 0:20:58.320
<v Speaker 5>you hear.

0:20:58.800 --> 0:21:01.200
<v Speaker 4>Put the ball at the two four yard.

0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:04.240
<v Speaker 5>Okay, whatever you want me to do, I'll put it there.

0:21:04.520 --> 0:21:06.199
<v Speaker 5>Guy runs out of bounds, you put him at the

0:21:06.240 --> 0:21:10.159
<v Speaker 5>thirty seven. Put the ball at the thirty eight and

0:21:10.200 --> 0:21:14.280
<v Speaker 5>a half. They've taken officiating out of the hands of

0:21:14.320 --> 0:21:19.080
<v Speaker 5>the officials, which in my opinion, has done two things.

0:21:19.400 --> 0:21:23.600
<v Speaker 5>Made him a little tentative waiting for input and also

0:21:24.080 --> 0:21:28.400
<v Speaker 5>protected some officials who are maybe struggling because they're changing

0:21:28.480 --> 0:21:29.879
<v Speaker 5>calls that are on the field.

0:21:30.200 --> 0:21:33.320
<v Speaker 4>But if we look, if we look at.

0:21:33.160 --> 0:21:36.520
<v Speaker 5>The grand plane and what we want, I mean, are

0:21:36.560 --> 0:21:40.960
<v Speaker 5>more calls being accurately made in the field, Yes, And

0:21:41.240 --> 0:21:45.119
<v Speaker 5>is the game flow a little better with expedited review

0:21:45.480 --> 0:21:49.800
<v Speaker 5>or assist yes. So we're not going to see it

0:21:49.880 --> 0:21:52.479
<v Speaker 5>going backwards. As a matter of fact, we'll see it

0:21:52.520 --> 0:21:56.720
<v Speaker 5>going forward. You will see more activity in the way

0:21:56.760 --> 0:22:01.960
<v Speaker 5>of correcting. For example, the the rule of the year

0:22:02.359 --> 0:22:08.880
<v Speaker 5>face mask violations that they'll certainly, in my mind, will

0:22:08.920 --> 0:22:12.679
<v Speaker 5>now have face mask calls reviewed. So if they're not

0:22:12.960 --> 0:22:16.119
<v Speaker 5>face mask then they can take them off. If they're

0:22:16.160 --> 0:22:19.800
<v Speaker 5>not hits on defensives receivers, they can take them off.

0:22:20.840 --> 0:22:23.720
<v Speaker 5>People say, well, that's not the problem. The problem is

0:22:23.720 --> 0:22:28.200
<v Speaker 5>if they're not called, that's the bigger problem. But if

0:22:28.200 --> 0:22:30.480
<v Speaker 5>you actually tell the officials, if you say to the

0:22:30.520 --> 0:22:33.919
<v Speaker 5>officials win in doubt, go ahead and throw it because

0:22:34.000 --> 0:22:36.879
<v Speaker 5>replay can pick it up, then you're going to get

0:22:36.960 --> 0:22:39.520
<v Speaker 5>these ones that aren't called that maybe they didn't have

0:22:39.560 --> 0:22:42.320
<v Speaker 5>a great look at Maybe then they will call them,

0:22:42.640 --> 0:22:45.959
<v Speaker 5>and then, like I said, if if they're not, then

0:22:46.000 --> 0:22:49.200
<v Speaker 5>they can be taken off. Look, I'm a proponent of

0:22:49.240 --> 0:22:52.680
<v Speaker 5>the sky judge. I'm a proponent of letting an official

0:22:52.760 --> 0:22:55.920
<v Speaker 5>be in a booth with a second look at every

0:22:56.000 --> 0:22:59.760
<v Speaker 5>play and let him correct it as.

0:22:59.720 --> 0:23:00.520
<v Speaker 4>Knee to be.

0:23:01.600 --> 0:23:04.359
<v Speaker 5>We're getting close to there. We just don't call it

0:23:05.600 --> 0:23:10.080
<v Speaker 5>a sky judge. But you know, with the technology, with

0:23:11.160 --> 0:23:16.400
<v Speaker 5>the importance of the games, with the gambling, it's more

0:23:16.440 --> 0:23:20.000
<v Speaker 5>important that we get as much as we can get right,

0:23:20.119 --> 0:23:23.520
<v Speaker 5>even though it is absolutely impossible to get everything right.

0:23:23.680 --> 0:23:26.159
<v Speaker 3>Okay, so you brought up the sky judge, and I

0:23:26.200 --> 0:23:28.720
<v Speaker 3>would love it if you could clarify this for me.

0:23:29.280 --> 0:23:32.920
<v Speaker 3>What is the difference between what the league is doing

0:23:32.960 --> 0:23:36.240
<v Speaker 3>now with replay assist and what a sky judge would do.

0:23:36.359 --> 0:23:38.879
<v Speaker 3>Is it just that it's a person on site in

0:23:38.920 --> 0:23:40.400
<v Speaker 3>the building. Is that the difference?

0:23:40.680 --> 0:23:41.480
<v Speaker 4>Well, let's see.

0:23:41.840 --> 0:23:45.399
<v Speaker 5>You've gotten now replay can use expedited review with the

0:23:46.119 --> 0:23:49.360
<v Speaker 5>or assist with the replay person that's in the studio.

0:23:50.440 --> 0:23:52.680
<v Speaker 5>Then New York is the next level, and they make

0:23:52.720 --> 0:23:56.440
<v Speaker 5>all the big decisions on the reversals, the challenges, the

0:23:56.480 --> 0:24:01.480
<v Speaker 5>confirmations of changes of possessions or score. But you know, Amy,

0:24:01.520 --> 0:24:03.880
<v Speaker 5>it's getting close, It really is getting close. But they'll

0:24:03.880 --> 0:24:06.720
<v Speaker 5>never call it the sky Judge because you know, the

0:24:06.760 --> 0:24:08.920
<v Speaker 5>Spring Leagues called it a sky judge. So they don't

0:24:08.960 --> 0:24:10.919
<v Speaker 5>want to, like, they want their own term, you know,

0:24:11.440 --> 0:24:14.040
<v Speaker 5>if it, if it comes to if they're gonna they're gonna.

0:24:13.760 --> 0:24:15.960
<v Speaker 4>Call it the Master Referee or.

0:24:15.840 --> 0:24:18.960
<v Speaker 5>Something like that, and they'll have them, they'll have them

0:24:18.960 --> 0:24:22.800
<v Speaker 5>wearing you know, striped shirts inside the booth, in the

0:24:23.000 --> 0:24:28.240
<v Speaker 5>in the press box. But it is, it is inching closer.

0:24:28.520 --> 0:24:32.560
<v Speaker 5>And you know, I'm I'm a purist. I mean, I

0:24:32.600 --> 0:24:35.200
<v Speaker 5>love the game. I love every aspect of the game

0:24:35.280 --> 0:24:38.320
<v Speaker 5>pretty much. And I always loved it because it was

0:24:38.359 --> 0:24:41.199
<v Speaker 5>a human game. It was a violent game. It was

0:24:41.240 --> 0:24:45.120
<v Speaker 5>a game where you know, humans played it. I mean

0:24:45.320 --> 0:24:50.760
<v Speaker 5>humans coached it. Humans made decisions, humans fumbled, humans through

0:24:50.800 --> 0:24:56.879
<v Speaker 5>incomplete passes. Coaches call bad plays and officials made incorrect calls,

0:24:57.880 --> 0:25:00.960
<v Speaker 5>and so the problem is the only the expectation of

0:25:01.040 --> 0:25:05.160
<v Speaker 5>perfection is for the officials who have the hardest job

0:25:05.200 --> 0:25:07.680
<v Speaker 5>of maybe all of them, because it's a mental job,

0:25:07.760 --> 0:25:11.560
<v Speaker 5>not a physical job. And we always forget about the

0:25:11.600 --> 0:25:14.440
<v Speaker 5>fact that when we all watch it, when the three

0:25:14.480 --> 0:25:17.680
<v Speaker 5>of us watch it, you know what, we're watching it

0:25:18.280 --> 0:25:22.000
<v Speaker 5>mostly in slow motion. When they replay things and from

0:25:22.040 --> 0:25:25.480
<v Speaker 5>above looking down, I mean, they're on the same level.

0:25:25.560 --> 0:25:29.000
<v Speaker 5>They're looking through twenty two bodies and they just don't

0:25:29.119 --> 0:25:34.040
<v Speaker 5>get the look that we do. So replays good for

0:25:34.119 --> 0:25:37.800
<v Speaker 5>the game, but kind of deemphasizes the importance to me

0:25:37.920 --> 0:25:39.040
<v Speaker 5>of the officials job.

0:25:39.640 --> 0:25:41.880
<v Speaker 1>All right, Mike Prayri, you got to help me with something.

0:25:42.480 --> 0:25:43.240
<v Speaker 4>I'm here to help you.

0:25:43.560 --> 0:25:46.359
<v Speaker 1>I've God bless you because here's I Here's what I

0:25:46.400 --> 0:25:52.439
<v Speaker 1>got is the whole offensive tackle isn't lined up on

0:25:52.480 --> 0:25:55.760
<v Speaker 1>the line of scrimage. He's lined up in the backfield.

0:25:55.840 --> 0:26:00.800
<v Speaker 1>Thing really that big a deal, to the point that

0:26:00.880 --> 0:26:03.720
<v Speaker 1>it's been started that people have started calling it so

0:26:03.840 --> 0:26:05.680
<v Speaker 1>much here late in the season.

0:26:06.160 --> 0:26:10.520
<v Speaker 5>Well, first of all, first of all, this is a

0:26:10.520 --> 0:26:15.520
<v Speaker 5>hard one to help. First of all, officials are doing

0:26:15.520 --> 0:26:18.320
<v Speaker 5>what they're told to do. They get the flat, but

0:26:18.359 --> 0:26:20.560
<v Speaker 5>they're told to do it by their leadership, by the

0:26:20.600 --> 0:26:26.919
<v Speaker 5>competition committee. Whatever does it create that much of an

0:26:27.000 --> 0:26:30.400
<v Speaker 5>advantage for the player that's lined up a little deep?

0:26:32.160 --> 0:26:35.119
<v Speaker 5>Maybe a little bit, But ultimately, what are they also

0:26:35.280 --> 0:26:37.399
<v Speaker 5>trying to do? What are they trying to do in

0:26:37.400 --> 0:26:40.320
<v Speaker 5>this game? What's the what's w's the one person on

0:26:40.359 --> 0:26:44.240
<v Speaker 5>the field that they're mostly trying to protect, the quarterback.

0:26:44.880 --> 0:26:47.560
<v Speaker 5>So a little bit of you know, worrying about the

0:26:47.600 --> 0:26:50.240
<v Speaker 5>tackles being lined up a little bit off the line

0:26:50.280 --> 0:26:52.520
<v Speaker 5>of scrimmage, Well, they need to do that to protect

0:26:52.520 --> 0:26:55.919
<v Speaker 5>that quarterback that they're trying to protect. So to me,

0:26:56.760 --> 0:27:02.480
<v Speaker 5>it's making it's making a bigger deal out of it

0:27:02.520 --> 0:27:04.840
<v Speaker 5>than they need to make. But I think, you know,

0:27:06.960 --> 0:27:09.360
<v Speaker 5>help me with this one. Okay, if you can understand

0:27:09.400 --> 0:27:15.359
<v Speaker 5>this statement from me, we no longer officiate the game

0:27:15.400 --> 0:27:21.840
<v Speaker 5>as artists. We officiated as scientists. And here's what I

0:27:22.000 --> 0:27:25.840
<v Speaker 5>mean by that. I think we have a tendency to

0:27:26.040 --> 0:27:30.720
<v Speaker 5>over officiate the game. Back in my day and back

0:27:30.720 --> 0:27:35.919
<v Speaker 5>in the days before me, it was about advantage disadvantage, right,

0:27:35.960 --> 0:27:40.840
<v Speaker 5>and if something didn't create an advantage and it wasn't

0:27:40.920 --> 0:27:46.720
<v Speaker 5>safety related, you don't call it. But where they are now,

0:27:47.640 --> 0:27:52.159
<v Speaker 5>where they are with officials, if you don't call things

0:27:52.200 --> 0:27:55.560
<v Speaker 5>that they think need to be called, you get a downgrade.

0:27:56.080 --> 0:27:58.680
<v Speaker 5>And if you get a downgrade, that affects your chances

0:27:58.680 --> 0:28:02.119
<v Speaker 5>of making the playoffs. If you get three or four downgrades,

0:28:02.160 --> 0:28:06.720
<v Speaker 5>it affects your chances from, you know, working a championship game.

0:28:06.960 --> 0:28:09.520
<v Speaker 5>I mean, if you get two, you probably eliminate your

0:28:09.640 --> 0:28:14.600
<v Speaker 5>chances from working the Super Bowl. So you're calling things

0:28:14.680 --> 0:28:18.400
<v Speaker 5>just because they feel like they should be called, even

0:28:18.440 --> 0:28:21.760
<v Speaker 5>though they don't understand that what they're downgrading people for

0:28:21.920 --> 0:28:25.320
<v Speaker 5>doesn't have an effect. For example, for example, at the

0:28:25.400 --> 0:28:27.760
<v Speaker 5>end of a game a week ago or two weeks ago,

0:28:27.800 --> 0:28:31.720
<v Speaker 5>they downgraded official an official for not calling an illegal

0:28:31.800 --> 0:28:35.040
<v Speaker 5>formation with twenty one seconds to go in the fourth

0:28:35.119 --> 0:28:36.560
<v Speaker 5>quarter of a three score game.

0:28:36.760 --> 0:28:37.639
<v Speaker 4>You want that called?

0:28:37.880 --> 0:28:41.720
<v Speaker 5>No, you want that interruption, you know, when it absolutely

0:28:41.720 --> 0:28:45.000
<v Speaker 5>has no impact of the game. The artistry in the

0:28:45.040 --> 0:28:48.720
<v Speaker 5>game of officiating has pretty much left the scene, and

0:28:49.920 --> 0:28:54.360
<v Speaker 5>that's what concerns me a little bit. It's not for

0:28:54.400 --> 0:28:59.040
<v Speaker 5>the good of the game. It's for the competition. It's

0:28:59.040 --> 0:29:03.000
<v Speaker 5>for the competition of the officials. Moving on and even

0:29:03.040 --> 0:29:06.560
<v Speaker 5>staying employed, and I just think they need to be

0:29:06.680 --> 0:29:08.720
<v Speaker 5>less a part of the game than more part of

0:29:08.760 --> 0:29:12.000
<v Speaker 5>the game. And all my guys hate me for saying that,

0:29:12.040 --> 0:29:12.800
<v Speaker 5>but that's okay.

0:29:13.160 --> 0:29:16.760
<v Speaker 3>Well, similarly, the hip drop tackle was a point of

0:29:16.800 --> 0:29:19.880
<v Speaker 3>emphasis going into this season, but it doesn't seem as

0:29:19.960 --> 0:29:23.240
<v Speaker 3>though it's being called very often. Does that mean that

0:29:23.480 --> 0:29:26.520
<v Speaker 3>the plan worked and players knew it was being emphasized

0:29:26.560 --> 0:29:29.040
<v Speaker 3>and so they stopped doing it, or is it just

0:29:29.120 --> 0:29:32.600
<v Speaker 3>too hard to judge when that's happening and officials aren't

0:29:32.640 --> 0:29:34.400
<v Speaker 3>inserting themselves like you've said.

0:29:34.640 --> 0:29:37.600
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, well, Amy, they did say they did to all

0:29:37.680 --> 0:29:38.600
<v Speaker 5>the clubs look for it.

0:29:38.680 --> 0:29:40.040
<v Speaker 4>Don't look forward to be called.

0:29:40.840 --> 0:29:43.719
<v Speaker 5>And that's the same thing that happened with the illegal

0:29:43.840 --> 0:29:47.200
<v Speaker 5>use of the helmet contact. Very difficult to call, and

0:29:47.280 --> 0:29:50.280
<v Speaker 5>so they said the players, and they said that the coaches,

0:29:50.360 --> 0:29:53.800
<v Speaker 5>and they said the ownership. Look, this is really hard

0:29:53.800 --> 0:29:57.120
<v Speaker 5>to call, and so we're not expecting the officials to

0:29:57.160 --> 0:29:59.920
<v Speaker 5>call it. But you can expect the letter from the lead,

0:30:00.920 --> 0:30:03.320
<v Speaker 5>which is going to take some money from you. So

0:30:03.800 --> 0:30:09.080
<v Speaker 5>that's the way. And I felt less strongly about that.

0:30:09.160 --> 0:30:11.680
<v Speaker 5>I felt like you could call illegal use of helmet

0:30:11.960 --> 0:30:15.240
<v Speaker 5>the hip drop. I was more concerned about. And that's

0:30:15.280 --> 0:30:19.000
<v Speaker 5>why I said, if you're going to put these types

0:30:19.040 --> 0:30:22.640
<v Speaker 5>of rules in that you say are so difficult to call,

0:30:23.320 --> 0:30:26.120
<v Speaker 5>then make them reviewable. I mean, why would we not

0:30:26.400 --> 0:30:30.160
<v Speaker 5>do that because you're basically given a free chunk to

0:30:30.200 --> 0:30:33.080
<v Speaker 5>a team that should have gotten it for the foul

0:30:33.320 --> 0:30:36.160
<v Speaker 5>and so have they followed the letter of the law.

0:30:36.200 --> 0:30:39.360
<v Speaker 5>Have the officials called it? Well, we guess what. We

0:30:39.400 --> 0:30:41.920
<v Speaker 5>got to week sixteen and we got our first one.

0:30:42.320 --> 0:30:44.320
<v Speaker 5>We got our first one that was called on the field.

0:30:44.640 --> 0:30:45.479
<v Speaker 1>It was wrong.

0:30:46.080 --> 0:30:47.920
<v Speaker 4>It wasn't a hip drop tackle.

0:30:48.080 --> 0:30:50.880
<v Speaker 5>So we're er for one on the field when we're

0:30:50.880 --> 0:30:52.360
<v Speaker 5>trying to call the hip drop.

0:30:52.720 --> 0:30:53.920
<v Speaker 4>Why was it wrong.

0:30:53.800 --> 0:30:57.480
<v Speaker 5>Because he didn't elevate, He didn't elevate, his body hit

0:30:57.560 --> 0:30:59.640
<v Speaker 5>the ground, and then the legs didn't get all the

0:30:59.680 --> 0:31:02.800
<v Speaker 5>way over on the onto the ankles of the runner.

0:31:03.240 --> 0:31:05.520
<v Speaker 4>Good God, it's a complicated one.

0:31:05.560 --> 0:31:08.280
<v Speaker 5>That might be the most complicated call that the officials

0:31:08.280 --> 0:31:14.160
<v Speaker 5>would have to have to make. So I think, you know, certainly,

0:31:14.200 --> 0:31:17.320
<v Speaker 5>I don't expect to see one in week seventeen or eighteen,

0:31:17.400 --> 0:31:19.600
<v Speaker 5>and I don't expect to see one in the playoffs.

0:31:19.640 --> 0:31:23.120
<v Speaker 5>But it's I'm always a bit amused when you put

0:31:23.160 --> 0:31:27.000
<v Speaker 5>in rules that you know can't really be officiated, but

0:31:27.760 --> 0:31:30.080
<v Speaker 5>that is player safety, and there have been a number

0:31:30.080 --> 0:31:30.720
<v Speaker 5>of injuries.

0:31:30.760 --> 0:31:32.240
<v Speaker 4>So I understand that, Mike.

0:31:32.320 --> 0:31:36.200
<v Speaker 1>What is the most important issue or issues that you

0:31:36.320 --> 0:31:39.200
<v Speaker 1>think the NFL officiating office is going to have to

0:31:39.280 --> 0:31:41.800
<v Speaker 1>deal with in this upcoming offseason.

0:31:42.320 --> 0:31:44.560
<v Speaker 4>I think it's going to revolve around replay.

0:31:44.880 --> 0:31:48.760
<v Speaker 5>I mean I really, I really feel that, and how

0:31:49.040 --> 0:31:53.440
<v Speaker 5>much more they're going to get involved with picking up

0:31:53.480 --> 0:31:55.680
<v Speaker 5>flags on the field. Look, they did a couple of

0:31:55.720 --> 0:31:59.240
<v Speaker 5>things last year already. They said if rupping the passer

0:31:59.360 --> 0:32:01.960
<v Speaker 5>is called for a hit to the head or neck area,

0:32:02.400 --> 0:32:05.040
<v Speaker 5>if there is no contact to the head or neck area,

0:32:05.400 --> 0:32:06.360
<v Speaker 5>then replay can.

0:32:06.240 --> 0:32:06.720
<v Speaker 4>Take it all.

0:32:07.400 --> 0:32:11.080
<v Speaker 5>If they throw a flag for intentional grounding because of

0:32:11.120 --> 0:32:13.480
<v Speaker 5>the fact that the quarterback got out of the pocket

0:32:13.720 --> 0:32:16.120
<v Speaker 5>and didn't get the ball back to the line of scrimmage,

0:32:16.840 --> 0:32:19.440
<v Speaker 5>they can go back and put him in the pocket

0:32:19.520 --> 0:32:22.760
<v Speaker 5>if he was indeed in the pocket. So they've made

0:32:22.840 --> 0:32:27.920
<v Speaker 5>these strides, which I guess are okay, But I have

0:32:28.440 --> 0:32:32.800
<v Speaker 5>a couple of issues in regards to that. Number One,

0:32:32.800 --> 0:32:35.680
<v Speaker 5>they're using a different standard to me when it comes

0:32:35.720 --> 0:32:37.600
<v Speaker 5>to like and this is going to be it hits

0:32:37.600 --> 0:32:41.400
<v Speaker 5>on defenseless players. If they said we can pick it

0:32:41.480 --> 0:32:43.560
<v Speaker 5>up if there's no head contact to the head or

0:32:43.560 --> 0:32:46.480
<v Speaker 5>neck area, they won't pick it up. If there is

0:32:46.680 --> 0:32:50.360
<v Speaker 5>any contact, even ever so slight to the head or

0:32:50.440 --> 0:32:51.800
<v Speaker 5>neck area, they.

0:32:51.680 --> 0:32:52.560
<v Speaker 4>Won't pick it up.

0:32:52.640 --> 0:32:55.640
<v Speaker 5>They won't make that additional judgment as to whether it's

0:32:55.720 --> 0:32:59.200
<v Speaker 5>forcible or not. And so that to me is, look,

0:32:59.200 --> 0:33:02.000
<v Speaker 5>if you're going to make get reviewable. If there's not

0:33:02.160 --> 0:33:05.000
<v Speaker 5>forcible contact, then take it off. If it's just a

0:33:05.080 --> 0:33:08.800
<v Speaker 5>glancing blow with a hand, it's not consistent with what

0:33:08.840 --> 0:33:10.800
<v Speaker 5>you want called on the field. If you look at

0:33:10.840 --> 0:33:13.640
<v Speaker 5>it and say you're going to tell the referee, okay,

0:33:13.640 --> 0:33:16.600
<v Speaker 5>look at I don't want that call that's incorrect even

0:33:16.640 --> 0:33:19.560
<v Speaker 5>though there is slight contact, and make it incorrect with replay,

0:33:19.600 --> 0:33:22.160
<v Speaker 5>and then the other thing that's going to happen. I

0:33:22.240 --> 0:33:24.600
<v Speaker 5>do think that in some ways it's going to open

0:33:24.680 --> 0:33:28.400
<v Speaker 5>up Pandora's box, as I stated earlier, where if you

0:33:28.480 --> 0:33:32.680
<v Speaker 5>let the officials know that their call is subject to

0:33:32.720 --> 0:33:35.400
<v Speaker 5>being picked up, they'll have more of a tendency to

0:33:36.200 --> 0:33:39.200
<v Speaker 5>call it. So let's just take face mask. So if

0:33:39.240 --> 0:33:42.240
<v Speaker 5>they call a face mask, and then the league says

0:33:42.280 --> 0:33:45.680
<v Speaker 5>we'll pick it up. If there's absolutely no contact. Then

0:33:45.720 --> 0:33:48.200
<v Speaker 5>if there is the slightest of grab that you wouldn't

0:33:48.200 --> 0:33:51.400
<v Speaker 5>have wanted call before, then you know, then they wouldn't

0:33:51.440 --> 0:33:52.040
<v Speaker 5>take it off.

0:33:52.360 --> 0:33:53.280
<v Speaker 4>So I would hope.

0:33:53.080 --> 0:33:55.400
<v Speaker 5>They would get to the standard of it is or

0:33:55.480 --> 0:33:59.760
<v Speaker 5>isn't a foul period and make that decision based on that.

0:34:00.040 --> 0:34:01.920
<v Speaker 5>And I also think that if there are some that

0:34:01.960 --> 0:34:06.880
<v Speaker 5>are so obviously misspace mask Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow, if

0:34:06.880 --> 0:34:11.520
<v Speaker 5>it's if it's so clear and so obvious and it's

0:34:11.680 --> 0:34:16.560
<v Speaker 5>player safety related, and the officials looking through twenty two

0:34:16.600 --> 0:34:19.920
<v Speaker 5>people didn't get a look, and let them put it on.

0:34:20.719 --> 0:34:22.680
<v Speaker 5>I mean, let it put them on. I mean we're

0:34:22.719 --> 0:34:27.560
<v Speaker 5>headed that direction anyways. And so lastly to me, and

0:34:27.600 --> 0:34:30.319
<v Speaker 5>this was my gift when I left in twenty ten,

0:34:30.600 --> 0:34:36.359
<v Speaker 5>I said, make all seventeen referees full time, make them

0:34:36.360 --> 0:34:43.600
<v Speaker 5>full time, Make them report to their officiating place. Maybe

0:34:43.600 --> 0:34:46.240
<v Speaker 5>put it somewhere in the middle of the country, like Dallas,

0:34:46.280 --> 0:34:48.680
<v Speaker 5>and they go there every week during the season.

0:34:48.800 --> 0:34:51.720
<v Speaker 4>They work together, They develop.

0:34:51.400 --> 0:34:55.560
<v Speaker 5>The same messages, they teach the same messages to their crew.

0:34:56.080 --> 0:34:59.319
<v Speaker 5>They role play, they learn what to say, what the

0:34:59.400 --> 0:35:03.920
<v Speaker 5>signals are. They do everything together, they participate with the

0:35:03.960 --> 0:35:08.080
<v Speaker 5>Head of Officiating, they participate with the competition Committee. Two

0:35:08.120 --> 0:35:10.719
<v Speaker 5>of them each year are assigned to the Titans, and

0:35:11.280 --> 0:35:15.879
<v Speaker 5>they come to the Titans mini camps everything, they're with them. Now,

0:35:15.880 --> 0:35:18.120
<v Speaker 5>you don't let them work a Titans game. I just

0:35:18.200 --> 0:35:21.160
<v Speaker 5>think that you have one hundred and twenty smid officials

0:35:21.200 --> 0:35:24.800
<v Speaker 5>being taught by a very limited number of people. And

0:35:24.880 --> 0:35:27.439
<v Speaker 5>to me, the referees are the most important because they

0:35:27.600 --> 0:35:31.000
<v Speaker 5>teach their own crews, and so I would love to

0:35:31.000 --> 0:35:35.040
<v Speaker 5>see him bite the bullet, spend the money and get

0:35:35.200 --> 0:35:39.080
<v Speaker 5>more consistent messages to all one hundred and twenty officials.

0:35:39.200 --> 0:35:43.120
<v Speaker 5>And you know the league, and I don't like to

0:35:43.160 --> 0:35:47.279
<v Speaker 5>criticize them because often they don't deserve to be criticized

0:35:47.320 --> 0:35:53.840
<v Speaker 5>and are. But the league has had as a tendency

0:35:54.440 --> 0:35:57.400
<v Speaker 5>to try to make things better by putting band aids on,

0:35:58.040 --> 0:36:01.920
<v Speaker 5>and band aids usually and when a rule change its

0:36:02.000 --> 0:36:06.000
<v Speaker 5>reaction to something that happened. I think they just need

0:36:06.040 --> 0:36:08.720
<v Speaker 5>to take a big step now because the game's getting

0:36:08.760 --> 0:36:12.320
<v Speaker 5>tougher to officiate. And I'm not for making one hundred

0:36:12.320 --> 0:36:14.680
<v Speaker 5>and twenty one guys or one hundred and twenty one

0:36:14.719 --> 0:36:17.560
<v Speaker 5>guys and girls full time, but I am for the

0:36:17.600 --> 0:36:21.799
<v Speaker 5>seventeen referees because I do think that will have a

0:36:21.840 --> 0:36:22.800
<v Speaker 5>positive effect.

0:36:24.239 --> 0:36:27.040
<v Speaker 3>Now you mentioned all of these officials that are involved,

0:36:27.360 --> 0:36:30.040
<v Speaker 3>we also know that there's a shortage of officials in

0:36:30.120 --> 0:36:32.960
<v Speaker 3>high school and college who are coming up the ranks.

0:36:33.360 --> 0:36:36.200
<v Speaker 3>What are you and others doing to try and encourage

0:36:36.239 --> 0:36:40.600
<v Speaker 3>more men and women to get involved in the career

0:36:40.880 --> 0:36:41.879
<v Speaker 3>of officiating.

0:36:42.840 --> 0:36:44.879
<v Speaker 4>Well, we're trying to get parents to shut up.

0:36:46.920 --> 0:36:50.359
<v Speaker 5>I mean, just to be absolutely candid, because all new

0:36:50.400 --> 0:36:54.640
<v Speaker 5>officials start at the youth level, and the sportsmanship is

0:36:54.760 --> 0:36:59.399
<v Speaker 5>the youth level is as bad or worse than any

0:36:59.440 --> 0:37:02.440
<v Speaker 5>other play. You know, they're not competent, they're just starting

0:37:02.520 --> 0:37:04.960
<v Speaker 5>out and you got parents yelling at them, and so.

0:37:04.960 --> 0:37:08.640
<v Speaker 4>What do they do? Quit? It's not worth it.

0:37:08.640 --> 0:37:10.560
<v Speaker 5>It's not worth it for the money that they make

0:37:10.680 --> 0:37:14.040
<v Speaker 5>on the youth level or the high school level, or

0:37:14.080 --> 0:37:15.719
<v Speaker 5>in fact even the college level.

0:37:15.719 --> 0:37:17.040
<v Speaker 4>But that's a different story.

0:37:17.440 --> 0:37:22.920
<v Speaker 5>But the shortage, as you said, Amy, it's it's unbelievable.

0:37:23.120 --> 0:37:26.400
<v Speaker 5>I mean, and it's just pretty much every sport and

0:37:26.480 --> 0:37:30.759
<v Speaker 5>it's every state, and the only people who are going

0:37:30.840 --> 0:37:34.520
<v Speaker 5>to make it better are the officials themselves. I mean,

0:37:34.640 --> 0:37:38.239
<v Speaker 5>they have to actually, I mean they care about each other.

0:37:38.480 --> 0:37:40.879
<v Speaker 5>They have to go about trying to find a way

0:37:40.920 --> 0:37:44.479
<v Speaker 5>to get more people involved. And every time I speak

0:37:44.520 --> 0:37:48.400
<v Speaker 5>to groups, I tell them that that nobody, no athletic director,

0:37:48.760 --> 0:37:51.799
<v Speaker 5>no coach, no mayor of a city's going to do

0:37:51.840 --> 0:37:55.160
<v Speaker 5>anything for you. You have to care about officiating. You

0:37:55.280 --> 0:37:57.719
<v Speaker 5>have to try to leave it better than it was

0:37:57.760 --> 0:38:00.640
<v Speaker 5>when you first got into it. And there are ways,

0:38:00.760 --> 0:38:04.799
<v Speaker 5>you know. I started a foundation in twenty sixteen called

0:38:04.840 --> 0:38:09.040
<v Speaker 5>Battlefields to ball Fields, and we give scholarships to veterans

0:38:09.320 --> 0:38:13.399
<v Speaker 5>to become sports officials in their communities. We've got officials

0:38:13.400 --> 0:38:16.759
<v Speaker 5>in our program from Tennessee. We pay for their uniforms,

0:38:16.800 --> 0:38:21.080
<v Speaker 5>we pay all their expenses, and we now have issued

0:38:21.120 --> 0:38:24.960
<v Speaker 5>over fifteen hundred scholarships in thirty eight different states. It's

0:38:25.000 --> 0:38:29.920
<v Speaker 5>not much, I mean, that's only fifteen hundred, But if

0:38:29.960 --> 0:38:33.359
<v Speaker 5>we could all of us that are in this avocation

0:38:33.719 --> 0:38:37.880
<v Speaker 5>for most people it's an avocation, if we could step

0:38:37.960 --> 0:38:41.160
<v Speaker 5>up and figure ways to do things like that to

0:38:41.600 --> 0:38:45.399
<v Speaker 5>overall help our program and ours has been kind of successful.

0:38:46.000 --> 0:38:50.919
<v Speaker 5>And the success is retention, quite frankly, if you get

0:38:50.920 --> 0:38:54.320
<v Speaker 5>them staying involved. And part of my thing was because

0:38:54.440 --> 0:38:57.080
<v Speaker 5>Number one I don't feel that we do enough for

0:38:57.160 --> 0:38:57.880
<v Speaker 5>our veterans.

0:38:58.200 --> 0:39:00.480
<v Speaker 4>Number two, I don't.

0:39:00.320 --> 0:39:02.160
<v Speaker 5>Think they're going to be bothered that much by those

0:39:02.200 --> 0:39:05.480
<v Speaker 5>parents that are yelling at I mean, they went they

0:39:05.520 --> 0:39:08.040
<v Speaker 5>went through Uh, they were a lot more.

0:39:08.440 --> 0:39:10.400
<v Speaker 4>But it is dire situations.

0:39:10.560 --> 0:39:13.880
<v Speaker 5>Yet, I will tell you, if you have the guts

0:39:13.880 --> 0:39:17.920
<v Speaker 5>to take on something that's so difficult, that's hard to

0:39:18.000 --> 0:39:21.080
<v Speaker 5>put your butts on the line, if you make it

0:39:21.120 --> 0:39:25.120
<v Speaker 5>for three years, you develop lifelong friendships, a group of

0:39:25.160 --> 0:39:29.000
<v Speaker 5>people that share the same frustrations that you have. And

0:39:29.640 --> 0:39:33.239
<v Speaker 5>I'm telling you all of my good friends, including the

0:39:33.239 --> 0:39:38.440
<v Speaker 5>best man at my wedding there they're officials, and so

0:39:38.719 --> 0:39:42.840
<v Speaker 5>I hope things get better because it's the kids that

0:39:42.920 --> 0:39:43.520
<v Speaker 5>are suffering.

0:39:44.000 --> 0:39:46.879
<v Speaker 1>Mike Pereira, thank you so much for the time. We've

0:39:46.960 --> 0:39:49.279
<v Speaker 1>kept you too long, but so much fun to catch

0:39:49.320 --> 0:39:49.719
<v Speaker 1>up with you.

0:39:49.880 --> 0:39:51.359
<v Speaker 4>Was prepared to go another half hour.

0:39:56.120 --> 0:39:59.680
<v Speaker 1>A mean, I'll just head out New Year's Eve, that'd

0:39:59.719 --> 0:40:02.399
<v Speaker 1>be great. Thank you so much for your time, and

0:40:02.640 --> 0:40:06.319
<v Speaker 1>we are so glad that you are doing well. When

0:40:06.320 --> 0:40:09.640
<v Speaker 1>we read everything last year, we were worried. We talked

0:40:09.680 --> 0:40:12.640
<v Speaker 1>to Coach Mack about it and he kept us posted

0:40:12.920 --> 0:40:16.359
<v Speaker 1>and it's just it's not the same without you. I mean,

0:40:16.400 --> 0:40:19.239
<v Speaker 1>you are the original in this field. And when Mike

0:40:19.320 --> 0:40:23.080
<v Speaker 1>Pereira says it, it is so. It is so. We

0:40:23.120 --> 0:40:25.080
<v Speaker 1>all listen. Now, we know you have problems with Tom

0:40:25.120 --> 0:40:27.120
<v Speaker 1>Brady and we hope that clears up, but.

0:40:29.840 --> 0:40:35.279
<v Speaker 5>Well listen, it's a pleasure to talk to you you again, Mike. Yeah,

0:40:35.440 --> 0:40:37.640
<v Speaker 5>you know, I'm a big fan of coach Mac And

0:40:39.920 --> 0:40:42.800
<v Speaker 5>as I said, I'm just I'm lucky to be sitting

0:40:42.840 --> 0:40:45.080
<v Speaker 5>in this chair talking to you, and I will never

0:40:45.200 --> 0:40:48.440
<v Speaker 5>forget that luck and good fortune that I got and

0:40:49.160 --> 0:40:56.160
<v Speaker 5>the great surgeon, and I'll be in Minnesota in week seventeen,

0:40:56.440 --> 0:41:00.440
<v Speaker 5>and I'm just supercharged and happy to be able to

0:41:00.480 --> 0:41:00.680
<v Speaker 5>do that.

0:41:00.800 --> 0:41:02.640
<v Speaker 1>Mike Praira, thank you.

0:41:02.640 --> 0:41:03.160
<v Speaker 4>You got it.