NFL Will Consider Full-Time Officials For 2012 Season, May Limit Same Season Coaching Hires

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Sunday that the league would consider hiring up to 10 full-time officials next season in an attempt to ensure that all NFL rules are enforced consistently from one game to the next.

At this time NFL officials are part-time employees that work as needed by the NFL however the commissioner says NFL officials may hire 10 employees to work at the league’s New York offices, evaluating game films and examining calls for consistency.

The full-time employees would then spread out about crews at games to evaluate play calling.

”Consistency is exactly what every club wants, and I think every fan wants. You want consistency in the way rules are applied,” Goodell said. ”We are contemplating this offseason taking some of those officials from the field who are now part time – they have other jobs – and making a certain number of them, let’s say 10, full time.”

News of possible full-time positions come at a time when the league has been tweaking its concussion protocols among various testing violations by teams which have left players with potentially life threatening concussions following hard and sometimes illegal hits. The NFL has since placed certified athletic trainers in booths at games to keep an eye out for possible head injuries.

Goodell also announced that he is evaluating the practice in which a coach leaves one team mid-season and joined another organization.

”We’ve talked to several club executives. I’m not getting a lot of reaction from the other clubs that this is unfair. They don’t seem to think it’s a big issue,” Goodell said. ”But it’s something we’ll talk about.”

Do you think the NFL is now doing enough to protect its players and team interests?