Below are the items under consideration by the owners at their 2019 Spring Meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla. Playing rules Modify overtime to use the opening coin toss to determine overtime options, ensure possession by both teams, and eliminate in preseason -- TABLED to next year, after being tabled from March Via
Author: Ben Austro
Ben Austro is the editor and founder of Football Zebras and the author of So You Think You Know Football?: The Armchair Ref's Guide to the Official Rules (on sale now)
Owners allow Competition Committee to tinker with pass-interference reviewable rule
NFL owners gave authority to the Competition Committee to revise the rule it passed in March allowing offensive and defensive pass interference to be subject to coach's challenges or replay official reviews. The approval gives the ability for the final rule to be changed with certain limitations. The ownership's rule change
NFL officiating patriarch and ‘godfather of officials’ Carl Paganelli dies
Carl Paganelli, 1937-2019 Carl Paganelli Sr., a highly respected college and pro official, an officiating administrator, and a mentor, has died at the age of 82. You never saw him on an NFL field, but his presence there is unmistakable. His three sons, umpire Carl Jr. and back judges Perry and Dino,
2019 officiating season underway with 6 new officials and 3 new referees
Documentary shadows 3 women officiating on ‘Her Turf’
To be the focus of attention in officiating is often seen as a curse, but a new documentary short spotlights three women who have worked to not only succeed, but also thrive, while wearing the stripes. Director Shantel Hansen spoke to Football Zebras about her first film, Her Turf, which premieres at
NFL is looking for one more referee
Title game defeat turned rules-making win vaults Sean Payton to powerbroker
There was a pretty significant foreshock in the league when the NFC Championship Game ended with Greg Zuerlein's overtime kick splitting the uprights 57 yards away, ending the Saints season right there. It was the start of a seismic shift in influence. He was rightfully angry when the Saints coach addressed
Which new rules were passed: Scorecard of the 2019 owners meeting [live updates]
Harmonizing illegal pass enforcements: a Football Zebras rules proposal
The NFL released its first set of rules proposals last week which were submitted by the teams. The Competition Committee will release additional proposals prior to the annual owners meeting on March 24. We floated two possible rules changes during the season. One was to have all 2-point conversions automatically reviewed
NFL replay booth to undergo ‘configuration changes’ as dozens are dismissed
As several teams propose ways to alter the replay system through rule changes, the NFL is already making a major change in the replay booth framework, and it has terminated about three dozen people from their replay operations. Five long-tenured replay assistants were dismissed by the league according to three officiating