The NFL’s competition committee has put together a significant plan to expand officiating assistance from the league office — but only in the event of a work stoppage.
In advance of next week’s annual meeting, the league announced on Tuesday that there are five playing rule proposals, three bylaw proposals, and two resolution proposals. At No. 5 on the list of playing rules, the competition committee has proposed, for one year only, “to allow the NFL Officiating Department to correct clear and obvious misses made by on-field officials that impact the game, in the event that there is a work stoppage involving the game officials represented by the NFL Referees Association.”
The NFL and the NFLRA have not been able to reach a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement, leaving the league preparing to use replacement officials to start the year. But after the debacle that ended the Week 3 matchup between the Packers and Seahawks the last time replacement officials were used in 2012, the NFL has come up with a contingency plan to attempt to ensure something like that does not happen.
A Fail Mary failsafe, if you will.
The proposal notes that, “Designated members of the Officiating department located at the Leagues’ Officiating Command Center will be assigned to monitor each game and are authorized to provide information to the on-field officials to assist … in specific areas where clear and obvious video evidence is present.” Officials will be able to drop flags at any time in the game for only three situations: roughing the passer, intentional grounding, an act that would result in the disqualification of a player had the related foul been called on the field.
While that is limited in scope — and arguably could include other clear-and-obvious fouls like a facemask — the league office would have a broader range of situations to nullify a flag that had previously been called on the field: facemask penalties, roughing the passer, intentional grounding, horse-collar tackle, illegal contact, pass interference, and the disqualification of a player enforced as part of a penalty for a foul called on the field. Pass interference reviews are limited to whether or not there was clear and obvious video evidence that players’ feet got tangled when both players were playing the ball, or neither player was playing the ball.
Pass interference reviews being limited to whether or not one players’ feet got tangled in another is a stark difference from the failed pass interference review process from 2019.
Additionally, the league is proposing after the two-minute warning and throughout any overtime period, the league office can help the on-field officials drop or pick up flags for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct that’s limited to throwing a punch or forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even if no contact is made. Leverage and/or leaping are also on the list.
Finally, if a foul is called for running into or roughing the kicker, the league office may provide information to ensure the correct foul — whether running or roughing — is called.
The league also reiterated the existing rules for consulting with on-field officials when clear and obvious video evidence is present.
While all this would represent a significant change in the way the league officiates its games, it also would provide some coverage for the league when dealing with replacement officials. Of course, it could also be a gateway to the league further expanding the use of replay to correct clear and obvious mistakes that are made on the field by officials in the NFLRA.
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