The NFL released the teams’ proposals for rules changes that will be up for consideration at the annual league meeting March 29-April 1 in Palm Beach, Fla. The rules changes proposed by the Competition Committee have not yet been released. A brief summary of each is listed below, indicating the team that proposed it.
Two proposals, jointly submitted by Baltimore and the Los Angeles Chargers, suggest increasing the manpower of the officiating crew, by proposing an eighth official similar to the SkyJudge of the former Alliance of American Football, as well as a senior technology advisor to the referee.
Playing rules proposals
- Modify blindside block rule to prevent unnecessary fouls (PHI)
- Make permanent the 2019 replay expansion of automatic replay reviews to include scoring plays/turnovers nullified by penalty, and any try attempt, whether successful or unsuccessful (PHI)
- Offer an alternative option to an onside kick for teams who are trailing, to run one scrimmage down with 15 yards to go (PHI)
- Restore all overtime in the preseason and regular season to 15 minutes, and limit the impact of the overtime coin toss (PHI)
- Allow defenses the option to start the game clock on the referee’s ready-for-play signal after a declined offensive penalty (MIA)
- Add a “booth umpire” as an eighth member of the officiating crew, seemingly similar to the now defunct-AAF SkyJudge (BAL-LAC)
- Add a “senior technology advisor” to the referee to assist the officiating crew (BAL-LAC)
Not clear on what is meant by a “senior technology advisor.” I gather #6 is Mike Pereira’s idea for a “sky judge”,” which the AAF used, but isn’t it essentially what the XFL is doing now?
1. Yes modify the Blind Side Block rule.
2. As if we don’t have enough replays already.
3. I love the idea of instead of an onside kick make it 4th and 15 from the free kick line.
4. Too many ties in football…the tackle kind.
5. Clock status should not be effected from because of a penalty. In some ways it gives the advantage to the offense. So yeah let the choice of the clock starting if a penalty occurs in the final moments of a game.
6-7. Not sure what “Booth Umpire (BU?) does but if the NFL wants to add an 8th official like college does they need to make it an on field official. Which means moving the umpire back to the defensive side of the field. I really don’t like the idea of the replay booth making calls on the field. If that happens what’s the point of having on field officials to begin with?
Add a 8th official and keep the umpire on the offensive side of the ball and put the 8th official as the middle judge if the nfl wants a 8th official