ORLANDO, Fla. — Several NFL head coaches weren’t too happy with their bosses as the league meetings closed Wednesday, a day after team owners overwhelmingly voted to change the overtime rule, starting with the 2010 playoffs.
The change passed 28-4, with owners voting Tuesday afternoon while most coaches were out playing golf. Coaches believed the vote was going to happen Wednesday.
“I think it just caught a lot of people off guard when it was being done, which tells me there may not have been all that much confidence that had it been done in the normal itinerary, it would have passed,” New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.
Payton was not the only unhappy coach, though most of the complaints were with the timing of the vote, not the outcome.
Commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed the complaints, however, saying coaches were well informed about the rule and had numerous opportunities to discuss it with owners.
“It’s probably no secret that there are certain owners who may have a different view than their coaches,” Goodell said. “But there are 32 clubs and 32 votes, and this may not come as a news flash, but the owners have the vote.”
Prime-time game announcement delayed.
League executives left town without announcing the schedule of marquee games for 2010, including the prime- time matchups for the opening weekend and the Thanksgiving games, which could affect the Broncos, who are hoping to open the season at home on “Monday Night Football” against Oakland.
The league is still working on the logistics of other parts of the schedule.
One of the issues the league is discussing is making all of the games in Week 17, and possibly Week 16, divisional games, largely to increase the chance of meaningful games for all teams late in the season.
Consider it the Peyton Manning effect. The Colts — among others — routinely have clinched their division early and have rested starters.
“We think that will address this to some extent,” Goodell said. “It will not necessarily eliminate the issue but the competition committee knows, and I’ve stressed to them, that we need to continue to look at this because it’s important for the quality of what we do and for the integrity of our game.”
Still the young guys.
McDaniels and Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, both entering their second year as head coaches, remain the league’s youngest, both at age 33. McDaniels will turn 34 next month.
“We were laughing too because they were talking about the pension,” McDan- iels said. “We went to those meetings, and there are some coaches that are closing in on that and we have about 25 more years to go.”
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
