Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Nicole Sheppard said on Monday at a status conference that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and three referees who officiated the infamous 2019 NFC Championship Game should answer questions about the game under oath in New Orleans in September.
The scheduling of the deposition comes after a unanimous Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal decision that allowed Saints fan Tony LeMon to proceed with his lawsuit against the NFL.
The NFL will likely appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court in the coming weeks to dismiss the lawsuit. If successful, neither Goodell nor the officials will have to testify.
After LeMon and his co-plaintiffs, incensed by the officiating calamity, filed their suits, observers and legal analysts gave the cases low odds at success. But, over six months after Rams DB Nickell Robey-Coleman interfered with Saints wideout Tommylee Lewis near the end zone, LeMon is positioned to win testimony from the NFL.
All seven referees who called the game will return to the gridiron this season. It is unclear if they faced any discipline from the league.
This summer the NFL's Competition Committee unanimously agreed to make pass interference calls reviewable.
