The NFL is implementing several rule changes for the upcoming season, including adjustments to how penalties are reviewed, modifications to the kickoff and overtime procedures, and updates to first down measurements.
During a visit to Saint Vincent College, NFL referee Craig Wrolstad and his crew discussed these new protocols. One significant change involves replay assist: beginning this season, certain penalty flags—such as those for grabbing the face mask, horse-collar tackles, tripping, or hits to the head—can be picked up if replay assist provides clear evidence that no foul occurred.
“Replay assist is not putting the flag on the field at all, and that is very, very important,” an accompanying video stated.
Wrolstad explained why only picking up flags—not throwing them—is emphasized. “The competition committee is composed of general managers, coaches, owners,” he said. “(Steelers head coach) Mike Tomlin’s on that committee, this might be a better question from him. But from what I’ve heard is they don’t want us throwing flags from the replay booth.
“The replay booth is connected to people in New York City who aren’t officials. They basically want the game officiated on the field unless there’s been a mistake that they can pick it up pretty easily. They don’t want flags flying in from places unknown. Coaches don’t want that, owners don’t want that, general managers don’t want that, flags coming in unknown like, ‘Who threw that flag?’
“At least when we throw a flag they know who threw it and they can talk to us and have some dialogue. If it comes out of nowhere, they just tend not to like that.”
Mike Tomlin expressed support for expanding replay assist in this way. “I am,” he said. “It’s about getting it right and getting it right with fluidity, so that the viewing audience doesn’t feel the lag. Technology is a component of that. I think all parties involved are really comfortable with where we are. So, it’s probably a really good thing.”
Tomlin also supported using technology only to correct mistakes rather than add new penalties during games: “We have zero appetite for adding penalties to the game,” he said. “It’s about correcting the erroneous ones. That is our position, and that has been our position.
“To be quite honest with you, I don’t see that changing.”
Another adjustment moves touchbacks after free kicks to place the ball at the 35-yard line instead of at the 30-yard line.
Additionally, both teams will now get a possession in regular season overtime games—mirroring playoff rules—with one exception: if one team holds possession for all 10 minutes before kicking a game-winning field goal as time expires, then their opponent does not receive an opportunity.
“If a team is able to hold the ball the entire 10 minutes, run it down and kick a game-winning field goal as time runs out, then the other team doesn’t get the opportunity to possess,” Wrolstad clarified.
The process for determining first downs will also use new technology aimed at improving speed and accuracy by introducing virtual measurements based on stadium cameras instead of relying solely on chain crews running onto the field.
“We still have a chain crew on the sideline,” Wrolstad said. “They’re still going to be there as the backup system. But we have a new system called ‘virtual measurement’ that we tested in preseason last year.”
He described how referees would receive immediate information via radio regarding whether or not enough yardage was gained for a first down: “I’ll call timeout for a measurement on something that’s close or if a coach has maybe requested a measurement… And they have camera system in each stadium that’s designed to show whether they made the line to gain or not.”
“I’ll get a radio (message) at the same time they’re showing it on scoreboard… It’ll take like 30 seconds… The old archaic system of running those guys out there and then running them back sometimes took two minutes—I don’t think that’s good television.”
These changes reflect ongoing efforts by league officials—including input from coaches such as Mike Tomlin—to improve accuracy while keeping games moving efficiently.
