New Orleans judge orders Roger Goodell, NFL officials to answer questions about NFC title game non-call

Updated

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hasn’t said much about the highly controversial non-call from the NFC championship game between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams.

He has said: “Our officials are human ... They’re not going to get it right all the time.”

That apparently isn’t good enough for many Saints fans, and now they may get a better answer.

Judge: Goodell, officials will be deposed

On Monday, a New Orleans judge ruled that Goodell as well as three officials from the conference championship game, where an obvious defensive pass interference call wasn’t made on Los Angeles’ Nickell Robey-Coleman, must answer questions under oath.

A New Orleans civil court judge has ruled that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell be deposed in a lawsuit about the NFC championship game. (AP)
A New Orleans civil court judge has ruled that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell be deposed in a lawsuit about the NFC championship game. (AP)

Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Nicole Sheppard made the decision to schedule the depositions, and said the four men should be deposed in New Orleans.

Sheppard’s decision came after a Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld Sheppard’s decision to allow a lawsuit from attorney and Saints fan Tony LeMon to proceed.

Damages will be given to charity

LeMon and his co-plaintiffs were among several people who filed suit against the NFL in the wake of the game. There’s no way of knowing 100 percent if a PI call would have led to a win for the Saints, who lost the game in overtime.

One of those challenges was thrown out in federal court, but LeMon wrote his lawsuit to try to keep it in state court.

While depositions would mean LeMon could keep moving their case toward a trial, the NFL can appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court to have the lawsuit dismissed, meaning Goodell would not be deposed.

LeMon is seeking $75,000 in damages, which will be donated to charity.

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