Just hours after his beloved Green Bay Packers were victimized by a blown call, State Senate President Steve Sweeney, pictured in this June photo, announced Tuesday that he wants to block replacement referees from working professional football games in New Jersey.TRENTON — The National Football League and the referees struck a deal, but Senate President Stephen Sweeney vowed to move forward with legislation that would ban replacement referees from working professional games in the Garden State.
“The agreement is good news for the NFL, the officials, the players and the fans. Everyone has endured too many games with too many bad calls, too little control and far too much indecision and inconsistency in the officiating,” Sweeney said in a statement issued this morning, just hours after the NFL and the referees struck a tentative deal. “I still intend to move forward with legislation requiring the use of properly trained officials for professional sporting events in New Jersey.”
With the prospect of sports betting coming to New Jersey, he said “it will be more important than ever to protect the professionalism and integrity of sporting events.”
Sweeney joined the national outrage after watching his beloved Green Bay Packers fall victim to a blown call in the final seconds of a Monday night matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Sweeney is Packers fan, despite growing up in the shadow of Philadelphia.
Sweeney, who is believed to be weighing a run for governor or congress, got some air time on national news networks because of his bill.
Gov. Chris Christie has not commented on the measure, but a spokesman for the New York Giants suggested it was unnecessary.
Tom Hester, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex), said, “The speaker does not view this as a legislative issue and has no further comment on it.”
Related coverage:
• NFL reaches agreement with officials; regulars reportedly to return to work Thursday
• Giants spokesman balks at Sen. Sweeney’s move to block replacement refs in N.J.
• Politi: Roger Goodell must bring back the real referees before somebody gets hurt
• Giants’ Victor Cruz says he would not have taken credit for Golden Tate’s catch
• Packers-Seahawks: Game-ending call by replacement refs stuns football, robs Green Bay
• Packers-Seahawks: Replacement officials’ call draws widespread criticism
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Despite NFL agreement with officials, Sweeney still wants to ban replacement refs in N.J.
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Despite NFL agreement with officials, Sweeney still wants to ban replacement refs in N.J.
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