- May 21, 2026
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As the ESPN and NFL Network integration continues, there has been one noticeable change to the NFLN Sunday pregame show.
NFL officiating and rules analyst Walt Anderson did not make an appearance on the Week 2 show. It's our understanding that Anderson will be used as needed.
He made an appearance last week, to discuss the Western Michigan-Michigan late-game clock issue and the safeguards the NFL has against such an outcome. This week, it would have been useful to hear Anderson explain the rule that no one knew about before it was applied during last Sunday's Saints-Lions game — especially since the rule may have been applicable in the AFC Championship game, but was never mentioned.
While "as needed" is inherently subjective, it's arguably necessary to make sure everyone understands the niceties of a wonky rule that allows, in theory, a quarterback to be hit after he starts his throwing motion, get spun around, fire the ball straight behind him, and have the final outcome of the play somehow be regarded as a forward pass.
NFL officiating and rules analyst Walt Anderson did not make an appearance on the Week 2 show. It's our understanding that Anderson will be used as needed.
He made an appearance last week, to discuss the Western Michigan-Michigan late-game clock issue and the safeguards the NFL has against such an outcome. This week, it would have been useful to hear Anderson explain the rule that no one knew about before it was applied during last Sunday's Saints-Lions game — especially since the rule may have been applicable in the AFC Championship game, but was never mentioned.
While "as needed" is inherently subjective, it's arguably necessary to make sure everyone understands the niceties of a wonky rule that allows, in theory, a quarterback to be hit after he starts his throwing motion, get spun around, fire the ball straight behind him, and have the final outcome of the play somehow be regarded as a forward pass.