NFL To Consider Challenges For Judgement Calls

Adam Schefter of ESPN, citing a league source, reports that the NFL is expected to consider a plan that would allow limited coaches’ challenges for incorrect judgment calls. However, if the coach is wrong, there could be a penalty or time run off.

Schefter says that this proposal is designed to get more support for challenges of officials’ judgment calls by including a clear disincentive or penalty, which would likely lead to it being rarely used.

Schefter’s source predicted that the competition committee will figure out a way to get a rule like this passed, especially because it’s something commissioner Roger Goodell is paying attention to.

This comes after the non-call in the NFC Championship game.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post previously reported that NFL leaders and the competition committee plan to give consideration this offseason to the possibility of making pass interference calls subject to instant replay review.

“It will be discussed at length along with additional fouls that coaches feel should be subject to review,” a person familiar with the league’s inner workings tells Maske.

In order for there to be a rule change, the NFL would need to approve it by at least three-quarters of the 32 owners.

Saints HC Sean Payton told reporters that he spoke with the NFL after their loss to the Rams and the league told him that they missed the call.

“They blew the call,” Payton said. “It’s a game-changing call — third down with 1:45 left. A tough one to swallow. My problem with it is, if we’re playing pickup football in the backyard, it was as obvious a call. How two guys can look at that and come up with their decision — we’ll probably never get over it. The truth is — some of these losses — one like that — it’s too bad.”

Rams CB Nickell Robey-Coleman admitted after the game that it should have been called pass interference.

We’ll have more regarding potential rule changes as the news is available.