Referee Mike Carey makes a call during the second quarter...

Referee Mike Carey makes a call during the second quarter of a game between the St. Louis Rams and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in St. Louis. Credit: AP / Tom Gannam

CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus is aware of the social media criticism officiating analyst Mike Carey regularly receives and said “some of it is very hurtful, quite frankly.”

Speaking on a conference call Thursday to promote CBS’ coverage of Super Bowl 50, McManus insisted that “the vast majority of the calls” that Carey has made in anticipation of the actual decision have been correct.

But he conceded there have been some high-profile situations in which he was not. That does not necessarily make his interpretation wrong, though.

“Mike has perhaps gone out on a limb more than he should in terms of speculating what a call should be,” McManus said. “”I hope [viewers] would understand that Mike is only giving his opinion.”

Carey not only has been criticized for the content of his contributions but also for his presentation, which is not as polished as that of Fox’s Mike Pereira, who pioneered the role.

“Mike is learning his craft,” McManus said, “and I think more often than not he has been right.”

Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV Credit: Newsday

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