The Facts: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Wednesday that the much-discussed non-call on Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman during the NFC Championship Game was a play that "should have been called" and the league will "look again at instant replay."
Diehards Line:
Much of Goodell's time during his State of the League news conference in Atlanta was spent fielding questions centered around the non-call and steps the league can possibly take to ensure that plays like that do not happen again. "Let me start just on the basics. Look, we understand the frustration of the fans. I've talked to [Saints coach Sean Payton], the team, the players. We understand the frustration that they feel right now. We certainly want to address that," Goodell said ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl LIII between the Rams and Patriots. "Whenever officiating is part of any kind of discussion post-game, it's never a good outcome for us." Payton in the immediate aftermath of the Saints' overtime loss to the Rams on Jan. 20 -- which featured the non-call that would have given New Orleans a potential game-icing first-down late in the fourth quarter -- said the play showed "all more reason we need more replay." Expanding replay will be considered by the competition committee. Goodell's statements regarding the no-call on Robey-Coleman were the league's first public comments since the NFC Championship Game.