Sources: Parry leaving ESPN for new Bills role

BUFFALO, N.Y. — ESPN NFL rules analyst John Parry is leaving the network to take a job with the Buffalo Bills, multiple sources confirmed. Parry will join the Bills in a new role as the officiating liaison.

The Bills did not previously have someone on staff with that title, and an officiating liaison can provide the perspective for the team of how referees look at the game and help the coaching staff have all the proper information for decision making during games. Parry told Football Zebras over the weekend that he was leaving the network to join an NFL team and shared that the Bills reached out during the offseason.

Coach Sean McDermott joined the NFL competition committee this offseason, and a new kickoff rule was approved this spring that Buffalo has been preparing for by signing and drafting certain players that fit the new rules and by studying the play over the offseason.

In his role with ESPN, Parry appeared on a variety of network programming, including “Monday Night Football” from the booth on a weekly basis.

Parry joined ESPN in 2019 following his retirement from 19 seasons as an NFL official, including his last 12 years as a referee that concluded with Super Bowl LIII. He has worked three Super Bowls (LIII, XLVI and XLI), two wild-card playoff games, seven divisional playoff games and one conference championship game.

He also has experience officiating in the Big Ten Conference and the Arena Football League.

The New York Post first reported that Parry would be joining the Bills organization.