Ref: Super Bowl calls cost Hawks
NFL referee Bill Leavy was in Seattle to discuss rules changes for the upcoming season, but before he got to that, Leavy first decided to address “the elephant in the room.”
Leavy, in case you forgot, was the referee in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XL loss. The game, which Pittsburgh won 21-10, featured a number of controversial calls that had Seahawks fans up in arms.
Leavy has not officiated a game in Seattle since, and decided to use his trip to the Seahawks practice facility as a chance to address the game.
“It was a tough thing for me,” he said. “I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that. It left me with a lot of sleepless nights and I think about it constantly. I’ll go to my grave wishing that I’d been better.
“I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn’t good enough. When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them. It’s something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately when you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl it’s difficult.”
NFL referees will take on more responsibility this season to protect players from helmet-first hits to their heads and necks.
The league has expanded its rules to prevent “defenseless” players from taking shots above their shoulders. Groups of officials are meeting with teams during training camp to go over the changes.
Grimm to watch father
As a seventh-round draft pick, Cody Grimm didn’t expect any favors when he arrived for training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Instead, the break the rookie will get from practice today comes courtesy of coach Raheem Morris, who wouldn’t think of keeping the safety from traveling to Canton, Ohio, to watch his father, former Washington Redskins guard Russ Grimm, enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“It’s real nice of him. I’m thankful for it,” Cody said at One Buc Place in Tampa, Fla., noting Morris contacted his dad before camp opened to let the elder Grimm know that his son would be able to join the family. “It was pretty cool of him. I’m excited to get up there.”
Also entering the Hall of Fame today are Rickey Jackson, John Randle, Dick LeBeau, Floyd Little, Jerry Rice, and Emmitt Smith.
A person familiar with running back C.J. Spiller’s contract talks with the Buffalo Bills told the Associated Press that the first-round draft pick reached an agreement on a five-year deal with the team. The contract includes just under $21 million in guaranteed money and could potentially be worth $37 million if Spiller meets all the incentives. … New York Giants starting left guard Rich Seubert is going to be sidelined indefinitely with a broken left hand, coach Tom Coughlin said. … Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears will miss the rest of training camp and possibly the start of the regular season with a sprained left knee. … The Green Bay Packers are extending the contract of wide receiver Donald Driver. Driver said the extension is for two years.