Going into the offseason, some NFL teams were hoping that the owners would make some significant changes to the league’s replay system when they meet for the annual NFL Owners Meeting.
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Some have complained that the continued expansion of instant replay will slow the games down too much, as the refs are constantly running to the monitor, but the National Football League knows what scrutiny it faces on a weekly basis from fans watching at home with 70-inch HD TVs and countless replays, so they’re trying to get as many calls right as possible.
The only new addition to the list of things that can be reviewed are four aspects of game administration.
The Replay Official and designated members of the Officiating Department at the League office may consult with the on-field officials to provide information on the correct application of playing rules, including appropriate assessment of penalty yardage, proper down, and status of the game clock.
The competition committee made the proposal to the owners after a more comprehensive proposal by the Baltimore Ravens that was made to the owners was put aside by the owners in March, during the league meeting in Florida. Rules now allow review of still images on the tablets that have replaced quick-print photographs.
Owners tabled a measure to let coaches and players to look at video replays on tablets on the sideline.
Owners considered two other rule proposals Tuesday, voting down a proposal by Washington that would have eliminated the first roster cutdown from 90 to 75 players during the preseason. This extends that provision to the regular season.
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With Super Bowl LI set to be played in Houston in 2017, Minneapolis is on deck for the big game in February 2018.
