Goodell replies to Louisiana governor's letter about NFC title game

The NFL season might be over, but commissioner Roger Goodell is still dealing with the controversy of the NFC Championship Game.

On Monday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards shared Goodell's response to a letter the governor wrote which outlined his frustration with the missed call at the end of the conference championship game featuring the New Orleans Saints.

"I fully understand your personal disappointment, and the disappointment and frustration of Saints fans throughout the country," Goodell wrote in the letter released by Edwards, according to ESPN. "As you know, immediately following the game, our head of officiating told coach Payton that a penalty should have been called on the play in question. I have expressed the same view to both Mrs. Benson and coach Payton, as well as during my press conference on Jan. 30."

Goodell reiterated his stance from his end-of-season address, in which he said he couldn't overturn the result due to league rules and that he believed it "would be wrong for me to do so."

Edwards praised Goodell for his thorough response to the officiating controversy.

"Though it is cold comfort to New Orleans Saints fans, I applaud the commissioner's willingness to review the officiating error closely to determine if similar errors can be prevented in the future through rule or procedure changes. I appreciate his response to my letter," Edwards said.

"New Orleans is a place unlike any other, as evidenced by the Saints fans who celebrated their team and their city in lieu of watching the Super Bowl and raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity in the process. It's the Louisiana way to be hospitable to guests, as I know we will be when the Super Bowl next returns to New Orleans in 2024."

The commissioner said his response was delayed because he left for the Super Bowl in Atlanta before the letter was delivered to the NFL's offices.