Troy Vincent

Damar Hamlin Roundup: Bills-Bengals Resumption, AFC Alterations, More

January 8th, 2023 at 6:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Bills safety Damar Hamlin continuing to make progress in his recovery, and the NFL having moved forward with their re-worked playoff scenarios for the AFC, attention will now increasingly turn to the upcoming postseason. Here is a quick roundup, though, of some notes pertaining to the game in which he suffered cardiac arrest, and the process by which the new seeding parameters were arrived at:

Much has been made about the league’s intention of resuming the Buffalo-Cincinnati contest after Hamlin was taken off the field via ambulance. The ESPN broadcast of the game mentioned a five-minute warm-up period being relayed to both teams – something which NFL EVP Troy Vincent has, on multiple occasions, emphatically denied. Detailing the moments after Hamlin was resuscitated on the field, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that an official told the Bengals a 10-minute warm-up period would take place before resuming the game. Further conversations ensured, however, which included Bills head coach Sean McDermott stating that he was willing to forfeit the game if it ensured it was not played on Monday night. The Bengals, Florio adds, were accommodating of the Bills’ wishes, though they were under the impression the contest would be finished on Tuesday until realizing the Bills had retuned to Buffalo before the league’s ultimate cancellation decision.
That move led to the modified AFC structure for playoff seeding, affecting the Bills’ and Bengals’ abilities to clinch the top spot in the conference. When speaking about the owners resolution passed on Friday, commissioner Roger Goodell described it as “a focused approach that would only affect four teams” (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). One of main consequences of the realignment was the ability the Chiefs had to clinch the No. 1 seed with a win on Saturday (which they did) and the decision to move any potential Chiefs-Bills AFC title game to a neutral site – a scenario which is in play given Buffalo’s win today.
Another, of course, was the amendment stating that home field for a Bengals-Ravens Wild Card matchup would have been decided by a coin flip had the Ravens won today (which they did not). Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo tweets that proposals were in place to split the aforementioned amendments being voted on, but they did not pass. A coin flip being used to determine the top seed was not discussed, he adds (Twitter link). Throughout the process, the Chiefs abstained from voting given the direct effects the rule changes had on their path to the top spot in the AFC, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).
The NFL also considered the possibility of the Ravens and Bengals playing their Wild Card matchup (which was a distinct possibility at the time, and has since been confirmed through today’s results) at a neutral site (Twitter link via Pelissero). Challenges with ticket sales and other logistics prevented that idea from gaining traction, however. Cincinnati and Baltimore will play each other for the third time this year – and second in as many weeks – during the first round of the postseason, with the Bengals playing host due to their superior record.
Competition committee chair Rich McKay said, when asked about the league’s decision not to simply base playoff implications on win percentage, “We don’t capture everything in every rule. When you face situations, you have to try to make adjustments. [This situation was] not that different from some of the COVID-related issues” (Twitter link via Pelissero and Garafolo’s colleague Ian Rapoport). No games were cancelled due to the pandemic, but the NFL has likewise arrived at a response to the unique situation presented by last Monday’s contest not being completed. Now, all affected teams will move forward with their eyes on a playoff run.

Extra Points: Video Reviews, Roughing The Passer, International Series

January 1st, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2022 NFL season has been filled with plenty of drama as always, but also controversy owing to on-field officiating. Several examples of calls (or non-calls) made throughout the campaign could lead to significant changes this offseason.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes that the appetite for an increase in video replay could be growing relative to the past few seasons. Two options proposed in recent years include additional challenges being allowed during a game (or at least expanding which types of plays are made subject to review), and the addition of a ‘sky judge’ to assist officials. Support for the latter lost steam in 2020, though that offseason did see another attempt to increase communication between on-field and replay officials.

NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent said at the most recent owners meeting that there will be a “healthy discussion” involving the competition committee this spring. He added, however, his aversion to giving replay officials the ability to call fouls which are not made on the field, saying that such a development would not be “in the best interest of the game.” The support (or lack thereof) for significant alterations could come from the impact reviews make in the remainder of the campaign. Per the NFL rulebook, the 2020 and 2021 seasons were unprecedented in that they saw more than half of plays subject to review overturned.

Here are some other NFL housekeeping notes:

Another matter which is likely to be discussed in the spring is roughing the passer penalties. Some owners expressed an interest in making it subject to review in the future during last month’s meeting (video link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). One important detail to be worked out in the event the league goes down that route would be whether or not replays become initiated automatically or via coach’s challenges; another would be the question of if roughing the passer could incur automatic ejections, an idea which was brought up in December. As Pelissero notes, however, trepidation is expected on all fronts due in part to the unsuccessful one-year experiment with making pass interference reviewable.
Providing an update on the NFL’s international schedule for next year, EVP Peter O’Reilly confirmed (via Pelissero, on Twitter) that plans are currently in place to play three regular season games in London, two in Germany and none in Mexico City. That falls in line with the league’s stated plans for 2023 unveiled in the wake of the first ever game played in Munich. Renovations will prevent contests taking place at Azteca Stadium, but a return there in the future – along with continued expansion of the international series – should be expected.

NFL, XFL Announce Formal Partnership

February 21st, 2022 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL is entering into a partnership agreement with the XFL, with the latter league set to be a “petri dish” for the former. In an official statement, the XFL announced it would “collaborate with the NFL on select innovation programs”, with a particular focus on health and safety.

The partnership is not one that will establish the XFL as a developmental league for NFL teams, but nevertheless a notable step in collaboration between the two entities. The news comes one year before the XFL is scheduled to begin play in its third iteration (and first since being purchased by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia). It is the second time the league has attempted to partner with an established outfit, having unsuccessfully done so with the CFL in 2021.

“We are bringing forward an XFL that is progressive and forward-thinking when it comes to innovation, leveraging the newest technology to enhance gameday experience”, Garcia said. “Sharing insights and practices between the XFL and NFL will do a tremendous amount of good for the game of football and support the player ecosystem overall”.

Opportunities also exist for the league to “experiment with proposed rules, test new equipment and develop prospective officials and coaches”, writes ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. League president, and longtime Bills executive Russ Brandon made it clear there has been productive dialogue with the NFL when it comes to “[advancing] the game of football” overall.

NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent added: “The XFL has shown us that innovation is one of its core principles. We are hopeful that this relationship will support further development and improvements in the game of football at all levels”.

While Garcia insists that a direct affiliation for the purposes of player sharing and development is not currently on the table, this announcement could mark, at a minimum, a sign that the third time could be the charm for the XFL to establish itself long-term. The deal is unrelated to the re-booted USFL, which is set to begin play in April.

NFL Unlikely To Incentivize Rooney Rule Hires

June 3rd, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Last month, the NFL weighed a handful of amendments to the Rooney Rule that would incentivize teams to hire coaches and leading executives of color. However, the proposal ultimately did not make it to a vote. In an interview with Shlomo Sprung of Forbes, NFL executive VP of Football Operations Troy Vincent indicated that the system will be revamped, but in a different fashion.

“By no stretch of the imagination was there any thought about degrading, using individuals as bribes, pawns,” Vincent said. “Coach [Tony] Dungy said it right, we should not be rewarding people or have a system that rewards people for doing the right thing. But we do believe there’s merit in rewarding people for identifying and developing minority coaching talent.”

The May proposal reportedly would have given teams improved draft position in exchange for hiring minority head coaches or GMs. A team hiring a minority HC would move up six spots in the third round; a team hiring a minority GM would move up 10. Those incentives also could have been combined, per the proposal. A team hiring a minority head coach and a minority GM would jump up 16 spots in Round 3.

Ultimately, league owners didn’t put that pitch to a vote, but it seems likely that the league will adjust the Rooney Rule – perhaps with a compensatory pick for losing a hired minority employee to another team. Vincent says it’s a “broken” system, one that was designed to increase the hiring and advancement of minority leaders, but has resulted in only four minority head coaches in the NFL.

NFL Exec: We’re Planning For Full Stadiums

May 24th, 2020 at 11:43am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL is “planning to have full stadiums” in the fall, league executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent says. Still, the league will yield to professionals and government restrictions before opening up the gates.

“We are planning to have full stadiums until the medical community tells us otherwise,” Vincent told The Team 980 (transcription via NBC Sports). “Now, remember when we’re talking — we’re talking about September, August, September. So there’s a lot that can happen here. So we’re planning for full stadiums.”

Vincent went on to explain that the league has contingencies in place for multiple scenarios. That could include “half stadiums,” and stadiums that are filled to just “three-quarters” capacity. Games could still be played without fans in attendance, of course, but it’s a major shift in tone from what we were hearing just a few short weeks ago.

The NFL could still rake in considerable revenue without fans, thanks to their TV contracts, but gate attendance still accounts for billions of dollars league-wife. If it’s feasible and safe for fans to fill the seats, Vincent says the league will find a way to make it happen.

NFL Planning In-Season Veteran Combine

September 20th, 2019 at 2:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL sent a memo to its 32 franchises recently to inform them of a new scouting event. Agent Don Yee has spearheaded an event that will work as a showcase for a select group of veteran players in late September, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes.

Yee is planning a three-day, California-based event — set to be dubbed the “Pro Scrimmage” — which will showcase between 10 and 20 “elite street free agents.” All players must have already gone through their NFL draft year. NFL VP of football operations Troy Vincent has researched this concept for years as well and has supported an in-season combine of sorts, per La Canfora.

Yee and a group of directors, which includes former NFL wideout Ed McCaffrey, are in the process of identifying players for this event. The 49ers, Browns, Chargers and Rams have agreed to send representatives to the event thus far, JLC adds. It would stand to be a higher-profile version of the weekly workouts teams conduct with players, though ownership has not lent too much support for this concept.

The NFL has organized veteran combines before, with the most notable coming in March 2015. Players like Felix Jones, Brady Quinn and Adam Carriker attended. Current Jets linebacker Brandon Copeland helped use that event to relaunch his career. The event in 2017 was designed for younger players. The latest event comes as the XFL is scheduling its draft, which is set for sometime in October. The NFL’s event would surely draw interest, given the caret of higher salaries that could be dangled to players that land on the back end of NFL rosters.