BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Longtime NFL official and former ESPN rules analyst John Parry is leaving his job in TV for a role with the Buffalo Bills. The news was first reported by the NY Post and later confirmed by 7 Sports.
Parry will serve as the Bills "officiating liaison," a role that was not previously occupied on the teams staff. In that role, Parry will help the Bills coaching staff with different rules and challenge situations that may arise.
"Officials look at the game so differently than players, coaches, and fans,"Parry told Ben Austro of FootballZebras.com. "So to have somebody up [in the booth]: Hey, this is the mechanic, this is why that person made that call. And no matter what happens to this replay, if they flip it, here's where the ball will be spotted. Here's the down in distance. The clock's gonna start in the ready for play, or it's a 10-second runoff, so you could take a timeout. So you better start thinking about that, will you take one? Will you not?"
Parry spent 19 seasons as an NFL official before joining ESPN. During his time with the NFL he officiated three Super Bowls and multiple playoff games.
“Ultimately, I miss being in the game, and I’m hoping that this provides an opportunity to get back in the arena, challenges, wins and losses, all those feelings that you have from doing what we do," Parry told Austro. "With Monday Night Football, it was go do the broadcast, speak to what you need to speak to, and head home. So, I’m looking forward to the off-the-game stuff: preparation, breaking down film, trying to educate players, trying to educate coaches being in the coach’s box, being part of those conversations.”
