ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- On Wednesday, the NFL's owners took another half measure to address its officiating problems, passing a new rule effective in 2021, allowing in-stadium replay officials to assist on-field officials using broadcast television camera footage to make calls regarding receptions, interceptions, spotting the football, and down-by-contact, only in instances of "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present."
Translation: If it's a no-brainer, and only if it's a no-brainer, then the replay official can help the referee get it right without the head coach having to make an official challenge.
There was another option the owners could have voted for but rejected, a proposal put forth by the Ravens to have what is known as an "eye in the sky" official, a replay official as a permanent member of the officiating crew with the full authority of on-field officials.
Seems to make sense, so why reject it?
Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL's competition committee, of which Mike Tomlin is a member, said, "We have the technology, we have really good technology, It sits in the booth with the replay official and it sits in New York (league office)," adding the coaches on the committee and owner's agreed to "use the technology (to) try to improve the crew. I do get nervous when it gets beyond that."
Translation: We have all the tools at our disposal to get the calls right, but why do that when we can have human error?
This isn't on the officials, either. The NFL has long decided that the integrity of its on-field product should be entrusted to part-time men and women plucked from their corner offices and teak-lined board rooms every weekend to chase some of the world's premier athletes down the sideline, fading in the wake of their 4.4/40 times. In that context, it's remarkable how much they get right. But the game's too fast and too many simple mistakes are made every game.
It's time to let the technology work for the integrity of the sport. On-field officials would still be essential, especially for penalty calls — which a replay official should never be allowed to do — and controlling the pace of play. There's no excuse, however, for a $100-billion business to not use technology to its fullest advantage in 2021.
YOUR TURN: Should the NFL have an "eye in the sky" official or are you happy with the constant tweaks and expansions of replay? Would you rather abandon replay altogether or do you have a different idea to improve officiating?