Alberto Riveron will be the NFL's new head of officiating, the league announced Wednesday. Riveron was promoted to replace Dean Blandino as senior vice president of officiating.

Assuming Riveron carries over the traits that made him one of the NFL's better on-field referees over the past decade, his hiring is good news for one NFL player in particular: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

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Like all officials, Riveron had his share of poorly called games and inconsistency — just much less of it. His propensity to call more roughing the passer penalties in relation to other refs at least erred on the side of protecting QBs.

One of Riveron's assignments during his time as head referee, from 2008 to '12, was Newton's first home game as a Carolina rookie in 2011.

During a bang-bang play in which Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop drove his helmet into Newton, Bishop was called for roughing but was not fined.

That was on the heels of Newton getting two such calls in his debut at Arizona, vs. both Cardinals linebacker Clark Haggans and cornerback Richard Marshall. Later in the Green Bay game, Riveron's crew again was quick with the flag when Aaron Rodgers took a tough hit from Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.

In his first two NFL games, Newton got three roughing calls. He got a league-leading eight in his favor as a rookie.

In 2015, Newton got zero roughing calls during his MVP- and NFC-winning campaign. Last season, he got only two despite the post-game spotlight after that Week 1 mess in Denver.

Riveron, in his new job "overseeing all aspect of the league's officiating department," naturally should make QB protection a point of emphasis. Ron Rivera and the Panthers shouldn't hesitate, then, to bring it back up in regards to Newton.

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Carolina's offseason has been about trying to better protect Newton, whether that means improving its offensive line, getting more players to ease his rushing burden or getting him more options to get the ball out quicker.

Riveron's hire only adds to the help.