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On competition committee, Arians talks future

Bruce Arians admitted he wasn't sure he wanted to be on the NFL's competition committee when he was first asked, but he said he has had fun doing it. He chuckled when he was asked if he tried to stay in the background at first.

"I don't think Mr. Goodell put me on there for that reason," Arians said. "I don't have any problem giving my opinion. Especially when it comes to rules and referees."

Arians likes the change in replay challenges, with the officials looking at the play on a tablet on the field and not going "under the hood," with officials in  New York helping decide the play. It'll speed up those decisions and therefore, the game, Arians said. As for the idea -- long discussed -- about full-time officials, Arians said he believes it will happen at some point.

"Hopefully we will get 17 (full-time) referees," Arians said. "There are a lot of negotiations in that process, between the union and the league."

Arians said he thinks even having the one main referee full time will help with consistency, even if it isn't every official. The Cardinals, for instance, have a meeting before each game just to discuss the officiating crew each week because the way the game is called by each crew differs enough that it needs to be discussed.

"Hopefully we will get more consistency in that area," Arians said.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians yells to the official during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
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