Starting in the 2019 season, for a one-year trial run, coaches and a replay official will be allowed to challenge called and non-called offensive or defensive pass interference penalties, as NFL owners voted 31-1 Tuesday (March 26) at the annual league meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the expansion of instant replay.
New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson and coach Sean Payton vowed in January to fight for changes to the replay system after the controversial no-call during the NFC Championship Game played a factor in the team’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams that cost them a Super Bowl berth.
This time, Sean Payton gets the call for Saints, New Orleans and NFL fans
How coach's passion, persuasion expanded the NFL's instant replay system
Payton said Tuesday he doesn’t think the change will impact the length of games.
“There’s two more calls that we’re going to work to get right, and I think that the room (of owners) felt real good about that," he said. “It fits the system we know and our fans know.”
Here’s a look at what others are saying about the rule change, which gained momentum during the course of the meetings that began Monday.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: “I told the owners we need to get to a place, and I felt strongly we should have OPI and DPI and that we should be able to throw flags (that were not thrown on the field. Everyone in there finally got to understand through a long process and a lot of discussion, everyone wanted to get it right. Some had to remove themselves from long-shared views.”
Atlanta Falcons General Manager Rich McKay, chairman of the competition committee: “Anytime you deal in the replay world, 24 votes is not quite as easy as you think. ... We were able to make sausage in one day, which is good for us. I think we ended up in a good place.”
Denver Broncos General Manager John Elway, via USA Today: “There was a lot to it. To finally get it to where you got everybody – you got what the coaches wanted – and try to get the one play that was so painful last year, to try to get that fixed. This will be able to cover that.”
Troy Vincent, NFL’s executive vice president of football operations: “We got to a good place. It was messy at times.”
Payton: "It’s great when we can arrive at what we think is a good change. We wouldn’t have any of these on the docket had it not been for one play. I don’t think any of these would be on a replay discussion.
“So my point is, I think we need to do a better job thinking forward and preparing, regardless of what’s currently out there. Where do we want to be in 2028? It’s a good way to work and come backward. I think we do that in a lot of other things. But I feel like at times we come in here each year and we’re in a little bit in a reactionary mode.”
Benson: “That’s why I made the statements. That’s the path we were going for, because it could have happened to anyone. It could’ve happened to any of the 32 teams. It happened to us, but I wanted the rule to change. Going forward, it’ll be better for everybody.”
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What other media outlets are reporting about the rule change:
Jason Garrett has his say in replay change (Dallas Cowboys)
Expanding replay presents solutions, but can NFL get out of its own way? (Chicago Tribune)
Sean Payton takes a well-deserved victory lap (Sports Illustrated)
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