Just like all great coaches do, NFL officials spend many hours watching tape on teams so they know what to expect and what to look for when they are officiating games. This is particularly the case during the postseason, which was highlighted by former NFL official John Parry during a conversation with Sports Illustrated’s Jonathan Jones.
Parry mentions that his preparation for games is more like an over-preparation. He also compares himself to a current coach in New England because of his tendency to be a stickler for watching film.
This is what Parry had to say when asked about making the intentional grounding call against Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLVI so calmly.
“I’m a film junkie, anal, over-prepared. I’m the Belichick of officiating. I just want to walk out on that football field and know there’s not going to be one surprise that you haven’t planned for. Leading up to that game we had watched about 63 plays, off of memory, in our last pregame meeting. And out of 63 plays, 11 were intentional grounding or should have been. I said these two guys are the best, and we’re going to have a grounding. Be ready.”
Parry was an official in the NFL for 18 years, having most recently been the referee for Super Bowl LIII which ended in a 13-3 win for the Patriots. Comparing himself to Belichick because of his preparation is warranted, as his tenure in the league and stature during the biggest of games reflect his efforts off the field.
