NFL REFEREES WILL HAVE CHANGE IN REPLAY ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS YEAR

The NFL is expanding replay assistance to help on-field officials. With that process will come an attempt at increased transparency.

Replay assistants can now review and correct certain roughing the passer and intentional grounding calls. Those officials situated in a stadium booth were previously permitted to review elements such as proper downs, complete or incomplete passes, and loose ball possession.

Explaining the process to Rich Eisen, Atlanta Falcons CEO and competition committee chairman Rich McKay said referees will also clarify when replay assistants influence a changed call.

"When the replay assistant actually does say something or impact the referee, the referee is going to say, 'After consultation with the replay assistant, the flag is picked up,'" McKay said. "We’re gonna try to make it clear to you at home and you in the stadium what’s going on because to your point, it’s one thing for the people at home and begin to think things, but people in the stadium don’t know either. So our idea was to be very clear and very transparent on what is impacting the call and why."

Recent rule changes can make replay assistants more crucial in 2024.

McKay called intentional grounding "one of the hardest calls they have" to enforce. He said on-field referees are so focused on the rest of the play, especially protecting the quarterback, that they don't always know if a p stayed in the pocket.

He added that the competition committee studied multiple roughing calls from last year where defenders didn't contact the quarterback's head or neck area. A replay assistant can now tell the referee to pick up the flag.

McKay wants the replay assistant to focus on "objective" calls where the right decision is more apparent. He doesn't believe assistants should take control away from the referees.

"We don't want that person to ultimately officiate the game," McKay said. "We do want that person to help us get it right."

2024-03-28T03:06:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd