Former head of NFL officials Mike Pereira says refs mishandled Cam Newton protocol

Former head of NFL officiating Mike Pereira said the officials “went against protocol” when they allowed Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to stay in last Thursday’s season-opening game against the Denver Broncos.

Newton sustained his fourth impact to his head on a helmet-to-helmet hit leveled by Denver’s Darian Stewart in the final minute of the game. At that point, Pereira told PFT Live on Thursday that Newton should have been checked for a possible concussion.

“Certainly, I thought, ‘Oh my God, the league is going to be upset that this is what happens in game No. 1,'” Pereira said in the interview. “What disappointed me the most was how they basically went against protocol with 36 seconds to go. The shot Cam took from Stewart on the offsetting fouls, protocol has Cam out of the game, and it starts with the referees.

“Did they consider the fact that there was only 36 seconds to go and Carolina was behind and that factored into the decision? If that’s the case, then the league is speaking out of both sides of their mouth,” Pereira said.

Newton stayed in the game, which the Broncos won 21-20. He should have been taken out of the game for at least one play to be evaluated, Pereira said.

The league and the players' union have launched investigations into whether the situation was handled properly.