Mike Pereira, a former veteran NFL official and the league's VP of officiating from 2004 to 2009, is surprised to see referees with less experience be selected for the biggest game of the season after rule changes before the 2024 season.
"That's a huge departure," Pereira said, per ESPN's Kalyn Kahler. "I always felt like it took five years to get to the level to where you'll feel comfortable going in front of thousands of people, and now you've got not only a third-year official, you've got a third-year umpire who worked [the NFC Championship Game] in Philadelphia.