NFL sets 2026 replay officiating crew, with Al Riveron back in the booth
The NFL has settled its replay-review operation for the 2026 season, and a familiar name is back in the mix. Teams were told at Wednesday's league meeting in New York that the three people making replay decisions this year will…
The NFL has settled its replay-review operation for the 2026 season, and a familiar name is back in the mix.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): NFL teams were informed at Wednesday's league meeting that the three people making replay decisions this season from league headquarters in New York will be replay veterans Mark Butterworth and Mike Annibale, along with former NFL referee and head of the officiating department Al Riveron. Riveron rejoins the league after spending the past four years as the ACC's supervisor of officials.
Teams were told at Wednesday's league meeting in New York that the three people making replay decisions this year will be veterans Mark Butterworth and Mike Annibale, joined by Al Riveron, the former NFL referee who once ran the league's officiating department. Riveron's return closes a four-year absence — he spent that stretch as the ACC's supervisor of officials after leaving the NFL in 2022.
Replay has been a flashpoint for years, with coaches and fans alike questioning the consistency of calls coming out of the New York booth. Putting Riveron back in the chair signals the league wants an experienced hand running centralized replay as it leans more heavily on the system. Whether the new crew calms the criticism won't be known until games count, but the personnel is now set.