The NFL Competition Committee has proposed expanding the scope of replay to allow review of “specific, objective aspects of a play.”
What does that mean?
If adopted, it means that for the 2025 season, penalties for hits on a defenseless player, grabbing the facemask, horse-collar tackles, tripping, and running into or roughing the kicker would be subject to review and could be overturned.
The proposal would only extend to penalties called on the field, not to review penalties that were “missed,” or calls that teams believe should have been made.
Teams will have a chance to vote on the proposal at next week’s league meetings.
Pass interference and roughing the passer were conspicuously absent from the list of calls eligible for review. Whether offensive or defensive, few calls have a more significant impact and are more challenging to judge during live action than pass interference and roughing the passer.
The NFL has long prioritized protecting the quarterback, so it’s not surprising that roughing the passer was not included in the proposal. Pass interference occurs so often during games that the league probably didn’t include that from a pace of play standpoint.
The rule will take effect if 24 of 32 teams vote to adopt it.
