The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Unbreakable Episode 118 – Dean Blandino

Episode Date: February 19, 2025

Welcome to Unbreakable! A mental wealth podcast hosted by Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer. On today’s episode, Jay welcomes in former NFL VP of officiating and current Fox Sports NFL Rules Analyst Dean Blandino. Jay and Dean discuss a wide range of topics coming off Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Dean entails what the buildup of Super Bowl week leading into gameday is like for the referees. He recounts how he got his start in officiating without (actually) officiating on the field. Dean also shares some incredible tales, including which coach used to cuss him out the hardest on Mondays following the games.   Follow, rate & review Unbreakable with Jay Glazer here! https://link.chtbl.com/unbreakablewithjayglazer #fsrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, everyone. I'm Cheryl Stray, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things. I'm excited to share that I have a new podcast called Mind Over Mountain. In each episode, I interview athletes, adventurers, and adrenaline seekers to discuss the inner landscapes that informed and inspired their extraordinary feats. So we, too, can better understand how to face our own seemingly insurmountable challenges. Listen to Mind Over Mountain every Thursday. the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be?

I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me, or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with love. laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Gianna Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Unbreakable with Jay Glaser, a mental wealth podcast. Build you from the inside out. Now, here's Jay Glaser. Welcome in to Unbreakable and Mental Wealth Podcast with Jay Glazer. I'm Jay Glazer. I'm proud to be joined to Super Bowl. is behind us, but obviously

officiating is always a big topic. And for that, I want to bring in my teammate at the NFL on Fox, former head of officiating for the NFL, Dean Blan. Do you know how we doing, buddy? I'm good, man. I'm good. Dude, how happy of you that you're able to come off a Super Bowl

and not be screamed at by coaches and fans and, you know, only by our producers, which is way better than coaches and fans? Let me tell you, the people at Fox Sports, it's the producers, the executives, they've got nothing on NFL head coaches. Let me say, I love working at Fox, and one of the biggest things I love is not dealing with angry coaches. Yes, yeah.

Let me ask you this. When you're leading up to a shoot ball, does everything get tighter in the league office? Or, you know, like, how is it lead me up to the street bowl? What happens where the league office, there's so much attention, obviously, that happens in officiating in the playoffs. Is it just, that's just another week, or it gets tired? out of the head approach things. No, it definitely ramps up. When you think about regular season, I mean, you've got 272 regular season games. And they're all kind of happening on their own.

The league office is monitoring everything, the different areas. But when you get into the playoffs, now there's one game at a time. There's obviously more people watching and there's more focus from the league office. You think about the NFC and AFC championship games. The league really runs those two games and then obviously the Super Bowl. So a regular NFL, game regular, regular season, you might have, you know, you might have 10 people from the league office championship games, Super Bowl, you've got hundreds. So, so it ramps up. And obviously the scrutiny, the pressure, everything is more intense. Take me through just what they do with the officials. Like the week of that goes in what you guys would do with the officials. Take me

through Monday to Sunday. Sure. So, so the crew gets notified. Actually, right before the divisional games. So actually right after the divisional round games. So the crew knows that Monday, that Tuesday, they know. So they can start preparing for the game. Typically the crew will get in Wednesday or Thursday of the week before the game. So 10 days out, you're saying? No, no, no, not 10 days out.

So you try to keep it as close to regular season. You typically go in the day before. Right. So they try to keep the officials kind of, isolated from all, because you know, the Super Bowl, there's so much, there's events, there's parties, there's all this stuff going on. New Orleans is crazy, right? So you try to keep the officials kind of, kind of isolated from that. They'll come in Wednesday or Thursday. Thursday night is probably one of my favorite events of the year, because before it really starts to get down to the,

you know, the meetings and the walkthrough and everything else, they have a big dinner with their families and it's a celebration because just like the players and the coaches this for a lot of these officials this is a dream come true if it's their first Super Bowl this is what they've worked their entire career and sometimes their entire lives from when they were young and started officiating so that opportunity on Thursday night to celebrate with the people because you make so many sacrifices in this in this industry right to celebrate with those people that have sacrificed so much right you you miss birthdays you miss graduations you miss all of these things during football season and to say thank you to those people that are closest to you.

That's one of my favorite things. Then Friday there's a walkthrough at the stadium. They practice the coin toss. People don't realize how much the freaking coin toss has to get practiced and this and that. And then they're watching film. They have an all day pregame on Saturday going through film, talking about the two teams. And then Sunday get there. Typically a regular season game, you're there two and a half to three hours before

because it's the Super Bowl and all of the security and all the extra layers, they're there about five hours before kickoff and just kind of preparing leading up to the start of the game. How much extra do they get if they get chosen from the Super Bowl? Well, there's a postseason fee that is, it's really not that much more than it would be for the regular season. Where the compensation comes in, any official that meets the performance standard, which is set before the season, any official that,

that meets that standard gets like the teams do. They get like a postseason bonus when they go further and further in the postseason. So they get a postseason bonus and it's split amongst all the officials that qualify. So that's a pretty good number. It could be up to about 30 grand. And then the game, the game fees are, you know, depending on seniority anywhere from like maybe 7,500 to 10 grand. So, but they don't do it. You know, when you get to that level, it's not about the money. It's about the experience and the opportunity to say, hey, I worked at the high. level. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast.

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And we were thinking, I'm an original calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this.

We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get. your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano and our podcast point game

is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest

player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's

perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall.

And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening. I was like, what the hell is that?

I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How high can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.

So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered and ask, How hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So obviously we have a mental wealth podcast. You just call it Mental Health.

Do you have officials come to you in the past and they come to you where they just have performance anxiety and they just have anxiety attacks before games, during it, whatever it is? No question. We really, you. you know, when I was there, it wasn't, I started in the mid-90s, right? So you think about just in general what we did for mental health and mental wellness, nowhere near what we're doing today and more aware of what's happening. And officials, I mean, I've seen officials that make a call,

and maybe it's the wrong call and it's a big game, and they, their world crumbles. I mean, you go back, the official who, you go back to 1998, Jets, Seahawks, fourth down, Vinnie Testa Verde, rule the touchdown, Jets win, Seahawks lose, Seahawks don't make the playoffs, the entire coaching staff gets fired. That official who made that call went into such a deep depression that the entire community, the officiating community, the family had to help him get out of that. And so you see that. And officiating is interesting because it's a negative environment.

Nobody is, there's no paths on the back. People understand that when they get into it. But it's not like referees in any sports. or leave a game and there's a lot of people going, great job, ref. It's very negative. And that's something we've really strived in recent years to say, we have to provide our officials resources, mental health, mental wellness resources, because it is so stressful.

There's so much pressure. And a lot of them need help. Wow. Interesting. I remember, look, you and I've been friends for a long time. So much so that, by the way, just people know, I broke the spy game video. And I kind of pinned it on Dean and Mollinger.

Mike Pereira. Yeah, thanks, man. Yeah, which, you know, look, I had to leave bread frogs. And people still think you're the one who gave it to me. So I, you know, whenever we go out drinking, I try and, I got this on you. And then, poor Mike just crumbled. And ironically, both guys are not working with me at Fox. And they were like, you fucking asshole, Glazer.

Which I did tell the commissioner, look, I'm going to leave so many bread from me. Can I curse on this? I can call you a fucking asshole because you are a fucking asshole. But I even told the commissioner, listen, please don't do it. an investigation, because I'm going to leave so many breadcrumbs to who it's not, and you guys are just going to, there's going to be so many people who are hurt. And unfortunately, you and Pereira are the easiest one to leave breadcrumbs on because you're an officiating.

And funny, because I actually led breadcrumbs to about four people where you were the two that they like focused it on. Because Pereira, just when they brought him in, it was like to put under the light, he just trumbled and he just fucked up. And by the way, neither one of these guys gave me a spy game, or obviously I wouldn't even fucking bring it up here. But being friends with you over the years, the last. couple years. I saw a big change in you. And what I mean is last couple when you were still at the

league where I was no longer able to have a conversation with you at dinner because these coaches hit you up nonstop to bitch at you. And it didn't stop. I was like, Dean, be present here. And you're like, I can't. Like it doesn't stop now. And I think that more, you know, we are so much closer because of social media to you guys and the coaches. And everyone now is an opinion. Back in the day, there's three insiders, right? There's me, four. There's me, Mort, Clayton, Len Pasquerelli,

and Peter King, National Insiders. You know, that was it. Now there's a billion, right? Everybody has a voice. Sure. Yeah, I just saw a decided market and it's just like, I'm glad you got out of that

to come to Fox, which was a much better existence. But I saw a huge downturn in your mental health for those two years. And I would tell you about it. Like, dude, these guys, you've got to put some boundaries up. You're like, I can't.

it was no question and look i'll be honest it everything in my life suffered one of that was one of the biggest reasons people say look i i don't i love the nfl i grew up in the nfl it was my first real job out of college and i and i stayed there for the most part so i'll always be loyal to the NFL the people the league office but i got to the point where that job was and i still loved it but it was so all-encompassing, like you said, there's no time off. It's 24-7. Coach, they're grinding, right? They're working 18, 19-hour days. So I've got to be available. But the problem and the thing that I think I did wrong for my mental health, and really, and it affected my relationships, my marriage, you know, everything. And I always felt like if a coach texted me or a coach emailed me,

that I approached it that that that coach was standing at their computer or at their phone waiting for me to respond. That's the sense of urgency I put on it. And I, and I neglected so many other parts of my life. And it, look, I was just not, I was not good on the personal side of my life because of that. And look, those are choices that you make. And one of the choices that I made was, okay, I want a better, a better just kind of, you know, life in terms of being able to do other things, not always being on call. And the ability to go and still work in the game and be a part of Fox Sports team, it was life-changing. And it really affected everything from a personal standpoint in a positive way. What are they calling you about on Wednesday night, though?

Looking at film. Hey, we're playing the Chiefs on South Sunday. They do this. Or they do that. You know, it was nonstop, right? You're getting calls. You know, what's funny is that right after I left, so my last season was 2016, they did one more season, 2017, and I think it was 2018, they basically incorporated a 24-hour cooling off period where the coaches couldn't contact the league office officiating for 24 hours until the game was over.

And I'm like, man, where was that when I was there? I had like, I have like Sean Payton calling me at half time. Like, you know, so it was that, it was, really? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, Sean's the best. We both love Sean. We worked with Sean. Sean was the one guy that. Want to beat his ass half the time. Yeah.

If you, if you're like, coach, no, the earth is round and he's like, no, it's flat. You couldn't convince him otherwise. That was it. Nope, I'm not going to, you're wrong. I'm right. And, and so. I've had a threaten Sean bodily harm on more. one occasion. And he will get after you. And Rosie's had to stop me like, dude, I will fucking choke you out and leave you in the gutter if you ever talk to me like this.

And he's like, oh, you're going to do this now? I'm like, what the fuck do you say to me? And Rosie's like, okay, okay, okay. Comedette, we got into like 6 a.m. last year. And I was like, I will fucking murder you. And he was like, oh, we're going there. And Rosie's like, okay, okay. We're, what's, yeah, let's stop. But I remember you, we won't name names, but I remember you at a Super Bowl getting mad at somebody and kicking them out of their seat because you wanted Sean Payton to sit with us. But that, that's a different story, if you remember that. I don't remember that. Okay. Well, that'll be offline. I'll tell you. Did I kick you out of your seat? No, you didn't kick me out of the seat. It was somebody else.

Oh, I do remember that. We're at Fox dinner. Yes. Yes. Yes. And because him and his wife were coming. That's why. Yeah, that's right. Sean, it was him and his wife. His dude was sitting there. And he's like, no, you move. And I was like, fuck, you're talking to me. It got uncomfortable for second. Really uncomfortable. And I got loud. He shouldn't have been at the dinner. Yeah. Yeah. Because he wasn't somebody part of the Fox family. And yes, I did. That's correct. Sean, like you said, you have a love hate. But keep talking about these guys. No, but that's it. You know, they'll call, you know, Sunday night, Monday. Because these coaches aren't just so much pressure and they're control freaks, right? Everything from an NFL schedule, right? Everything is down to the

minute, practice, you know, all of it. And so the one thing they can't control is the officiant. And so it's a constant battle in terms of trying to understand. And look, I worked with so many head coaches. There isn't one. People ask me who was the biggest asshole. I can, I can truly say I never dealt with any like real true assholes. Now, could, could be, Bell check. Bill check. Bill. Bill, no, Bill, Bill, Bill was the other way. Bill understood the thing that I loved about Bill when I dealt with him, he understood it. He's like, listen, I get it. He goes, I make mistakes during a game. Players make mistakes. Officials are going to make mistakes. Bill just wanted to know what was going on. Hey, how are the officials going to

handle this situation? How are they calling this? He just wanted the information. And like I said, I never had like anybody that was like, that guy's an asshole. Now, could they be an asshole in the moment in that conversation. Absolutely. You know. I'm sorry. He's got to have to rely on. Bruce. I mean, but he would just murder me, murder me. He'd be on. I remember Thursday night. They're playing a Thursday night game. He's on the bus. Motherfucking me after the game, you know, accusing me my first year, my first year he accused me of not knowing the rules. My second year, he accused me of cheating. My third year, he said he's never, I'm never calling.

I'm never calling the office again. Like, that lasted like a week. Right. So there's guys, you know, every Tom Coughlin, you know, he gave, you know, it was like 45 minutes one day on a Monday just letting me have it. And his assistant is texting me while it's happening. Hey, Dean, don't take it personally. I get this like three times a week. So it's just, but in those moments and we talk about mental health and mental wellness, I really felt like a therapist in those moments.

because a lot of that was venting. A lot of that was the coach, they're under so much pressure. They just wanted to get it off their chest. And I always took the approach of, I'm going to take my emotion out of it. I'm going to listen and I'm going to see what that person on the other end of the line needs. Does that person need to vent? Does that person need an explanation? What do you need?

In 99% of the time we ended the call on a good note, sometimes maybe, you know, there was a hang up and we had to have another phone call. But that's kind of the approach that I took because it and those guys are under so much pressure, like I said. Is there anybody ever pushed you so far over the edge? You're like, hey, like I would react. Yeah. Yeah. And I really like the guy.

But one time I, I mean, Jerry Reese and I must have hung up hung up on each other about three times in one conversation where I was just like, we're not getting anywhere. Former Giants GM. Yeah. Yeah, former Giants GM. And we're not getting anywhere, you know, and, you know, he said some things. and then I said some things that we probably both regret. That was like one of the few times.

But, you know, those things will happen when you're talking about the emotions and the pressure. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. but this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember.

I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing,

a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad Hey Jonas and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an acapella with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do.

So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my job. Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be.

Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy? That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask,

How Hard Can It Be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network available on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam, Ms. Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron Head and.

into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series

because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing.

That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. How do they still fucking up so much? I think there's a disconnect between how we see the game on the broadcast and how the game is officiated on the field. But it's just too much. Like there was a time where it's just like, let's lay off. And now that those time forgot. Like, no question. No question.

And look, when I first started and this goes back to, you know, Paul Tagliabu, Commissioner Tagliabu, we, you know, a play happened. It was controversial. and then everybody moved on. The league rarely made statements. But in 1995, you could do that, right? Because it was newspapers. It was, you know, it wasn't the 24-hour cycle that we have today. Like you said, everybody on social media, everybody, the internet.

So now you, so I think the league really, I don't think the league has an officiating problem. I think the league has a transparency problem. And I think that's where you. I think they have an efficient problem because, like, the problem because they, They just call too much. Like there is something on every single play you can call. Sure.

Right? And it was, look, when the replacement reps came in, it was like, hey, don't call anything. Don't be part of the story. And they weren't. It was great. And I just think that should be the directive. Don't be part of the story. There's no question that for people, most people watching the game, less flags is good, right?

It's good. There's less stoppages. There's less. Let the players decide. I do think that over the years, when you go that far that way, teams tend to take advantage. And now you have to kind of overcorrect the other way. Because if teams know, hey, they're not going to throw,

and we've had teams that just coached it and have been very successful when you think about, you know, on the defensive side of the ball, hey, if they're not going to call holding an illegal contact, we're going to do it on every play. And maybe we get caught once out of 10 times, but we win nine out of 10 times. And so that's the fear with not calling anything. and it's a balance.

But look, officials aren't perfect. Yeah, they make mistakes. And I think the league is aware of it. And they're going to try to, you know, hopefully, you know, correct some things with replay. But I still think you've got to get to the root of the problem. Get good officials. Get good training.

Get good people in the league office to, you know, to lead that group. So here's my suggestion to Roger Goodell straight out 10 years ago. I still think it's a great idea. I said, I think you should get experience. Special ops guys, Delta's, Seals, Marine Recon, guys who actually played football, right? Know again, make them your officials because A, they're common cats. B, physically, they can keep up with these cats, right? And be in a better position.

And C, those coaches ain't going to fucking wear out a Navy SEAL or Delta. They're not going to be screaming at him. And I still think it's a great idea. Plus, you know, a lot of these guys come out of service and have a hard time finding work. Roger's like, you're fucking crazy. I'm like, what? We know that. But I think it's a great idea. I think the concept is when you, when the attributes that you just mentioned, those are all things that will lead to a good, a good official, right? The common, calm under chaos, you know, the ability to keep, you got to be physically fit. And that has changed. Look, when I first started in 1995,

you know what the official's fitness test was at their annual clinic? They had to finish a mile. not it wasn't timed they literally they literally had to finish and not and not die really that was the requirement and and and there were some that we weren't sure we're going to pass but but now now it's gotten so far the other way where we have you know we have groups that come in athletic training staff those types of things that help these guys and these and these girls that get you know make sure that because these are the best athletes in the world now look you're not going to beat Sequan Barkley to the goal line,

but you have to be at a standard where you can be in position to see what you need to see. And I think that's something the league is aware. But look, I love the idea. I don't know about, we can't have former Navy SEALs choking out coaches on the sideline.

I didn't say that. They don't have to choke. That wasn't the point. The point is they're not going to be as apt. They're going to have more respect than a guy who's a part-time fucking lawyer or full-time lawyer or part-time official. If a guy who served our country, they're going to be a little less apt to fucking.

And we do have, you know, we have programs. You know, Mike Pereira has battlefields to ball fields. We've got a lot, you know, what you've done with merging and all the things that I think we do have more people that are getting involved from the military into sports, whether it's officiating or other areas. So I think that's definitely something we need to explore. So Dean and I, we got to tell you guys how we met. I got, he's shaking. First off, let me tell you. Jay's, I didn't know, I didn't know Jay, I didn't know Jay, but Jay, if you, and I just want everybody to know,

Jay gives off this persona. And look, we're both, we're both Northeast guys, Jersey and New York. I'm Long Island. He's Jersey. So, so he gives off that kind of Jersey, Long Island douchebag vibe sometimes. I say that in a loving way, but you are not that at all, at all. But initially, I was like, who is this guy that's coming in and he was going to do a story? But, God, You could take off from that. Yeah, so I was coming in. Well, I definitely, I got the Jersey New York attitude. That dick hit attitude.

Of course. A lot of the last hole, right? Yeah. With a big heart. So I think that the big heart thing people didn't realize. But I also look, my mental health, I created this character. So people wouldn't really know me because I didn't feel worthy of the real Jay Glazer. Like, I didn't think anybody liked him.

So I created the glaze, you know, this fighting, joke, drinking, cursing. It's not too far off from who I am, but it's also I, I, I definitely inflated. Sure, it's a version. It's an enhanced version. But I hid the heart, I say over the years, right? And now I leave it with my heart. But one of the things I always do, though,

and I write my book too, one of the biggest things I do for my darkness, my gray, is laughter. So I'm probably the biggest practical joker in the league, right? But whether it's a fox or even a league, like, I do the craziest shit to people. and like I sent out a text message to a whole league one year and I think I even sent him the commissioner

hey dude some shit just went down your name came up my phone's about to die call me at this number at the hotel and when you called it it was the sex chat line for like 599 a minute yeah I had I had people called for their I never forget Mike Tomlin hey bro I call for my team phone it's not my problem click Rex Ryan too like fuck it was a like all these guys stray in.

Well, Rex may have been calling that line. Yeah, he would call it anyway. People, but some, I forget who the coach was. I think it was Rex that he heard the music and stuff of this porn line. And he thought I was in a club. Oh, God. Like, stayed on like, Jay, Jay. So it's racking up the minutes, you know.

And anyway. Real quick on Rex, he sent me the greatest text message any coaches ever sent me. It was, he was with, I forget it was 14 or 15. He was still with the Jets. Week one, they lose, and they get called for like 25 fouls. And he texts me after the game. He says, hey, if we're going to get fucked like that again next week, let me know and I'll bring the loop.

I mean, and I'm reading the text, like, okay, all right, coach. Yeah, I mean, that's the greatest character. So I play a lot of jokes. And I was at CBS at the time. I came in and did it since 1990, 2000, what, 2001 or something? What did you? Yeah, it was early 2000. thousands.

So settle on those lives. And I come in to do a story for CBS Sportsline.com and inside story of what happens in the officiating department. So I come and I do this great story. But at first I wrote a fake story. And I had this story about how these guys gamble and they have fantasy football league. And, you know, they'll find guys like. And I'm quoting guys.

You know, what was your quote like? Because you were in charge of fines. Like, yeah, sure. sometimes personal feelings come into whether we find a guy. If there goes Anthony Dorset, right? Anthony Dorset, sometimes we'll find him. Sometimes we won't find him because we liked his dad. Because we like Tony Dorset.

This guy over here is a dickhead, so we'll find him 15 rent. And, you know, all these things like, oh, you have a fantasy football league. So sure, we'll look the other way if a guy's on our team, you know. And Greg Iiello, who's the former head of PR for the league, he's in on it with me. He comes in and you tell him, right, he threw like 10 copies at all. Yeah. Right. And said, what do he said?

I let this guy in and this is what you. Yeah, this is what we. Yeah. This is what. And people start looking at and Jay wrote this fake story about all this stuff. And it was literally Lord of the Flies. You know, see people turning on each other like immediately. Yeah, it's like, keep going.

They were like, I didn't say this. I didn't say that. Yes, you did. I didn't say. And I'm just sitting back and I'm looking at Jay. I'm like, this motherfucker. No, I went there at that point. You'd tell me after, like, you were the only one like.

Yeah, I was like, guys, this is not real. Like, why are you? Like, literally, they just turned on each other. And I was like, this is ridiculous. Like, I heard you say this, right? They're like, no, I didn't. Like, and Pereira almost had a heart attack that day. Oh, my God.

Yeah. Oh, no doubt. He crumbled like a house of car. That was my, by the way, I used to do this to a lot of coaches and GMs. I'd write fake articles. It would look perfect, right? And I would send it over and just guys would, oh, they would collapse. And there was, yeah, I did this several times.

And man, I had it down to science, but I could figure out how to Photoshop. Yeah, we've been friends ever since. You know, could have went one of two waves. So, you know. I'm going to ask you this question. I ask all my guesses. Give me the one moment in your life. It could have been anything. It's your unbreakable moment.

Could have broken. You shouldn't. It didn't, as a result, you came through the other side of that tunnel, strong, and forever. That's a good question. So a couple come to mind, but there was one time, and it was right around 2008, and I was at the league office. And for me, you know, my background, I never officiated on the field. I didn't come up. I'm very unique in that background. I started as an intern. I just, I was lucky enough to get an internship at the end of. NFL officiating had an opportunity and I took it. So I never officiated on the field. And I was basically told, not officially, but told, hey, listen, you'll never be the head of the department. You just, you never officiate on the field. It's a glass ceiling. You'll never do it. And I was struggling. I was struggling with it. I didn't know where my career was going to go.

And sitting there in 2008, I was married, didn't have kids yet, was struggling a little with, with my relationship and everything else. And it was really getting me to the point where I just was lost. And in the league, at that point, had offered an enhanced severance package for people that were there, you know, more than, more than 10 years. And I was, and I was like, am I going to leave the NFL? Am I going to leave this company that people would bend over backwards to work for? And I didn't know what I was going to do. But I knew that I was, I knew that I had the potential to run that department. And I, and I took a chance and I left. And I remember, sitting in my office when this thing came across reading this email and I was like,

and I struggled with it and left, started my own company, moved from New York to California, had my first son and who's, you know, you know how that goes, incredible, incredible. And then the league hired me back in 2012 and I became the head of the department in 2013. So I don't know what, if I didn't go down that road, where would I be today? and I always think about that. Had I just kind of succumbed and kind of said, you know what, felt sorry for myself, where would I have ended up?

And I have no idea. I don't know. You got on yourself. You're like, yeah, just show what it's like without me. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And I just bet on myself. But believe me, it wasn't a no-brainer and I struggled with. I really did.

And I said, you know, I could probably stay here like this. And it would be okay. But I got to take that chance. It was the scariest thing that I've ever done. It really was from that standpoint. And it worked out, thankfully. Brother, I appreciate you, man. Look, I apologize for playing that joke in you back then.

I apologize for pinning Spigate on you and Pereira. No, I actually don't apologize for either one. I appreciate you join me here. All right, man. Love you. Love you, buddy. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers.

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it.

We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs.

We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff. on this. If we didn't talk ever again, I was funny. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in to you, he's like, you know I love you, dog.

You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva. And on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS.

Unfiltered Conversations. From night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.