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Former Ref Walt Coleman Dishes on the State of Officiating in the NFL

After 30 years on the job, Walt Coleman—"the dean of NFL officials"—worked his last game in January. Of all places, the 67-year-old's swan song took place in Orlando, Florida, at the Pro Bowl.

Somewhat ironically, some of the Pro Bowl's limited value is in its opportunity to experiment with rules and innovations that could be officially implemented in the future. But don't assume that, just because Coleman's tenure dates back to the Pete Rozelle era, he isn't progressive when it comes to the league's policies and rulebook.

Rare exceptions notwithstanding, league rules prohibited Coleman from doing media interviews over the last three decades.