The NFL made changes to its instant replay rules Tuesday, although it wasn’t the drastic overhaul some teams want.
Owners of the 32 NFL franchises, meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, ratified a proposal by the rule-making competition committee. The measure modifies the language regarding the scope of plays subject to instant replay review, without making substantive changes to the list of reviewable plays.
It also enables on-field officials to be in communication with members of the league’s officiating department in New York during replay reviews on administrative issues. Those issues include checking the proper down, penalty yardage and clock-related matters. That consultation does not permit discussion about judgment calls.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league made such communication permissible during the playoffs last season. This extends that provision to the regular season.
The changes take effect in the 2016 season.
The competition committee made its replay proposal to the owners after a more sweeping proposal, made by the Baltimore Ravens, was put aside by the owners in March at the annual league meeting in Boca Raton, Florida. The Ravens’ proposal would have made all plays reviewable except for offensive and defensive holding, offensive and defensive pass interference, illegal contact, illegal use of hands, whether a quarterback or receiver or kicker has been forcibly hit (for an illegal hit) and unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Ravens also withdrew a proposal they were going to make to the owners this week that would have made illegal hits on defenseless players reviewable.
(c) 2016, The Washington Post ยท Mark Maske
