Former NFL official John Parry will leave his position as an ESPN rules analyst to work with the Buffalo Bills, according to multiple reports.
Parry’s role with the Bills will be “officiating liaison,” where he will advise head coach Sean McDermott and his staff on NFL rules and replay decisions.
“Officials see the game very differently than players, coaches and fans.” Parry told Football Zebras, who reported that the former referee had one year left on his contract with ESPN.. “So having someone up there (in the booth): Hey, this is the mechanic, that’s why that person made that call. And no matter what happens with this replay, if they throw it, this is where the ball will be detected. Here is the disadvantage and the distance. The clock will start to get ready to play, or it will be a 10 second second round, so you can take a timeout. So you better start thinking about that, will you take one? You will not do it?
“There’s a lot on the coaches’ shoulders when it comes to repetition specifically because it’s grown so much and it’s complicated. It’s hard to keep all that data in order. And I think it’s valuable to have; I mean, obviously, if you’re working for a team, you want to win, but your job is to make sure they have all the data so they can make the right decision or the decision they want. .”
Parry started in the NFL as a replay referee in 1999 and was promoted to referee in 2008. He worked two Super Bowls as a referee and retired after the 2018 season. He was with ESPN since 2019.
Bills need help with challenge decisions
During the 2023 NFL season, the Bills won 50% of their challenges (3 of 6), but since 2017 only 10 decisions have been overturned and 23 have been upheld. by professional football reference.
“Most teams have a player who specializes in game rep management and clock control, but the officiating perspective is totally different than a coach’s perspective,” Parry said. “And I think the Bills specifically recognize that replay is here to stay, that it’s only going to grow. Potentially we should have someone who has done it and looks under that hood.”
The NFL approved new rules for 2024 regarding hip-drop tackles and kickoffs. How those changes will be officiated is where Parry can help McDermott, who was added to the Competition Committee in February.