NFL commish Roger Goodell defends referees despite ongoing controversies: 'I'm very proud of what they do'

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly come to the defense of the league's often maligned referees. This week, he lauded officials for their performances this season, saying they are doing "an extraordinary job."

Goodell's latest assessment comes after a 2023 season that was riddled with a long list of on-field controversies. The angst towards officiating from coaches, players, and fans carried over into the playoffs.

The Chiefs were irate over the referee's decision to not throw a flag on the Miami Dolphins on a critical play during the wild-card round game.

"I’m proud of our officials," Goodell during his recent visit to Michigan, via the Detroit News. "I think they do an extraordinary job. They aren’t perfect — they’re making decisions out there in a matter of seconds — but what we’ve seen in a variety of circumstances this year, without getting into any specifics, is they get it right, and they’re still criticized."

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visits with referees before kickoff between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri.  (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The downtown Detroit area continues to make preparations ahead of April's NFL Draft. Ford Field is also located downtown, and the Lions home stadium was the site of one of the most controversial officiating moments of the 2023 season.

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The officiating crew drew the ire of the NFL world when a Lions go-ahead two-point