NFL Owners Meetings: Pass Interference Now Reviewable By Officials
PHOENIX (AP/KDKA) -- Pass interference, whether flagged or not, can be challenged by coaches and reviewed by officials next season.
NFL team owners voted Tuesday on a one-year trial basis to include those often-controversial penalties in the officiating replay review system. Coaches still will have two challenges per game, and in the final two minutes of a half or fourth quarter or for all of overtime, the replay official can order a review of offensive or defensive pass interference.
Art Rooney 2 "it's a one year trial". Relatively narrow change" "The Sky Judge just too much to consider at this time"
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) March 27, 2019
The major change - owners traditionally have been highly reluctant to include any penalties in the replay process - stems from an egregious missed call in the NFC championship game that likely led to the Rams making the Super Bowl and the Saints falling short.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is on the competition committee and spoke about the matter before the vote on Tuesday.
"I think there's an openness to it like never before, to be quite honest with you. Just from a committee perspective, this is the first time we've submitted proposals on the expansion of replay, and so, at least in the time that I've been on the committee, so I think that is significant," Tomlin said.
Tomlin says the question is how do you know where to stop.
"That is the question, how to appropriately advance in this area without unfortunate, unforeseen consequences, so you know, there's a crawl before you walk mentality, I think, from a committee perspective, and I think it's reflected in the bylaws that we proposed," he said.
NFL owners voted down a proposal to replace the onside kick with one play from scrimmage, and tabled a suggestion to require each team to have one possession in overtime regardless of what happened on the first series of the extra period.
This should be an overwhelming "Yes" but for now Kansas City's proposal for BOTH teams to get possession in overtime was put off until May at the earliest #KDKAatOwnersMeetings
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) March 26, 2019
The owners vetoed the idea of a one-year trial of a fourth-and-15 play from the offense's 35-yard line to replace the onside kick, considered one of the game's more dangerous plays. The powerful competition committee recommended the play by a vote of 7-1, but the owners were not swayed.
For some it was a gimmick SO The proposal of having a 4th and 15 play instead of onside kick did NOT get enough votes — I liked changing the rule. Onside kicks have become almost impossible to pull off #KDKAatOwnersMeetings
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) March 26, 2019
The overtime change is championed by several clubs after the AFC championship game in January - and the 2017 Super Bowl - ended with a Patriots touchdown without the opponent getting the ball. New England won the coin toss both times.
Currently, the format is a touchdown on the opening possession of OT ends the game, but a field goal allows the other team a series with the ball. If that team also kicks a field goal, the game continues.
Owners will next take up the overtime topic at their May meeting.
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