The XFL announced Tuesday that Dean Blandino was rehired in a new role as vice president of officiating, playing rules innovation and executive director.
Blandino served previously as the XFL’s officiating chief in 2020. He had previously held a similar position with the Alliance of American Football in 2019. From 2013-17, he was the NFL’s senior Vice President of Officiating. After filing for bankruptcy in 2020, the XFL was taken over by Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and RedBird Capital Partners.
Blandino, in his new role, will oversee the league’s efforts to reimagine the rules of football.
Russ Brandon, president XFL stated that the league has the rare opportunity to create new and innovative rules. Dean’s unique perspective as well as his expert experience will be crucial to achieving this goal before the 2023 season.”
Blandino was originally recruited by the NFL to rejoin the league in 2020. But, ultimately, he chose to stay on as a Fox Sports analyst/officiating consultant.
He stated that football is a dynamic, ever-evolving sport with growing global appeal. My focus was always on bringing new ideas and structures to help the game we love grow. This has been true from my time in the NFL to the XFL. Football is my passion. It’s an exciting time for the XFL to build a dynamic and enjoyable game for fans and players.
In February, the XFL revealed that it would collaborate with the NFL to develop rules and equipment for player safety.