I think one of the huge problems with the NFL is that they base almost everything off of PR... which is Roger Goodell's 1980s management style still at work in the 2020s...
And it's finally working it's way to the reffing ...
The Fail-Mary ref told us all we really need to know, the NFL told them no flags on the final plays (which was for PR reasons) and look at the Refs in the Saints/Rams game, they were just following their (bad) orders.
Also this is the same Goodell who (allegedly) shoved Mike Pereira during an argument about officiating... then they set up a replay system at large for Dean Blandino (a replay expert) to review all the big important challenges and review, only for Blandino to leave for the.higher pay of the media soon after...
And then we get Alberto Riverton, which his main quality seems to be a yes man for Goodell...
And we have gone always from strict written out rules, to some more broad general less written define rules and judgements... based on PR.
Such as did you noticed how the catch rule was being called a lot different the year before the rule change? And the written rule change some how magically matched the new way of calling it... so they changing the way they called it BEFORE they changed the rule book.
Also then added a new very board and unclear roughing the passer rule... which if defenders landed on QBs it was considered roughing... then after enough bad PR that suddenly disappeared.
And basically every years Refs point of emphasis follows the same pattern...
And Riveron shown video of this new rule and what would and wouldn't be overturned and after some bad PR concerns, almost nothing is overturned.
This is management reaction via PR and it's now at the top of the reffing, and it's horrible!