As most movies inevitably have a character proclaim in a moment where the audience is possibly growing confused, “Let me get this straight.”
So let me get this straight. The Competition Committee supports using replay assist for penalties called — but not for penalties not called.
For example, if a facemask foul is called but clear and obvious evidence shows it didn’t happen, the flag can be picked up via replay assist. If, however, a facemask foul is not called but clear and obvious evidence shows it did happen, a flag cannot be dropped. That’s not changing this year, if the Competition Committee has its way.
“The idea was that the game being officiated from [the replay booth] changes pretty much everything and takes away the judgment that we give to officials on the field and would require substantial rework of the rules,” Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay told reporters on Wednesday, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. “So, I think everybody is kind of universal in saying we want the game officiated on the field, but we want replay assist to be able to step in when there is a clear miss of an objective element of a foul and fix it.”
Executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent added that the ability to use replay assist to throw a flag is a “non-starter.”
But there’s no difference. The game will be officiated from the booth if a flag is thrown when it shouldn’t be. Why shouldn’t the game be officiated from the booth if a flag isn’t thrown when it should be?
Moreover, replay already has the power to put a flag on the field if video evidence shows that a 12th player failed to get off the field before the snap. In other words, the supposed non-starter has already started. Years ago.
Here’s what it means, as a practical matter, for 2025. There will be more missed facemask fouls, and they still won’t be fixed by replay review. Even if that’s the only foul that can be called by replay assist, that’s the one the owners should demand be available to be called.
And here’s where it’s up to the owners to take charge of their sport. Yes, sometimes, the true stewards of the game need to show the salaried employees how it’s done. This is one of those instances where the folks capable of assessing the situation from 30,000 feet can and should clunk heads together and cast at least 24 ballots for a no-brainer rule change.
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