Dean Blandino

Dean Blandino is the former Vice President of Officiating for the NFL, and is currently a rules analyst for Fox Sports in addition to working with the newest iteration of the XFL as “VP of Officiating, Playing Rules Innovation.”

Blandino was first hired as an intern in the NFL’s officiating department, and after the 1994 season became a full-time employee. Blandino’s role expanded in 1999 when he was tasked with organizing instant replay—a new aspect of the game introduced that season. He served as the replay official for two Super Bowls. 

In addition to the NFL, Blandino has consulted on replay officiating for the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, Mid-American and Mountain West conferences. 

After a brief time away from the league, Blandino returned to the NFL in 2012, and was promoted to VP of Officiating in 2013, succeeding Carl Johnson, who briefly held the position after Mike Pereira left the league. 

As the league’s top official, Blandino oversaw the full-time hire of Sarah Thomas as the NFL’s first female official. He served as an executive producer of “Her Turf,” an award-winning documentary following three female football referees as they navigate the male-dominated field. 

Blandino became a rules analyst for Fox Sports in 2017. He is involved in the network’s NFL and college football coverage. Blandino also worked with the Alliance of American Football and the XFL. 

Blandino grew up in Bellmore, New York and attended Wellington C. Mepham High School, where he played tight end. He graduated from Hofstra University in 1993.