It’s a few months too late for Saints Head Coach Sean Payton and his team’s legions of fans, but a rule change that allows for offensive and defensive pass interference to be reviewed has been passed by NFL owners.
And to think, it wouldn’t have gotten done had it not been for conversations between Bears Chairman George McCaskey, President Ted Phillips, General Manager Ryan Pace, and Head Coach Matt Nagy.
“I was against that coming down here,” McCaskey said, via Larry Mayer of the Bears’ official website. “But I talked to some people that I respect and Matt and Ryan and Ted made some persuasive arguments. It was a good discussion in the room.”
I’ve always believed that positive change can come when adults get in a room together, talk out the issue, and work toward a solution. It’s proven to be far more effective than the pointless bickering that too often takes over conversations, debates, and discussions. What a concept!
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert has the details on the rule change that allows pass interference to be reviewed by league officials. It’s a one-year trial run will have the replay booth and league officiating office initiating challenges in the last two minutes of a half. If things go well, then next year’s league meetings could add it to the league’s rule-book on a full-time basis (much as it did with the new kick-off rules).
To be clear, coaches won’t get extra challenges to use for reviewing obvious pass interference calls. They will still have just two challenges and can earn a third if proven correct on their first two tries is still in place. But at least they have a little more they can challenge. That totally counts as progress!