New NFL Pass Interference Rule to be Finalized Next Week

The NFL’s new pass interference rule is gradually taking shape ahead of being phased in for the new season.

The NFL and the competition committee have spent the offseason refining the plan to add pass interference to replay review.

A Thursday update from the league clarified the inner workings of the rule change. The NFL expects the replay official to initiate all potential reviews, including pass interference. The reviews will take place in the final two minutes of each half and overtime.

Initially, it was going to be the coaches who initiated the replay, to avoid excessive stoppages. However, coaches were concerned that it would interfere with their timeout strategy.

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Although, the NFL isn’t keen on the officials bringing plays to video review too often, either. During the final two minutes, the league wants them to use “stricter criteria than for other reviewable plays”. No specifics were provided on that snippet, likely to give the league wiggle room for any further adjustments later on.

As well as pass interference, Hail Mary plays will now be subject to review. Hail Mary play reviews will be “consistent with guidelines for officiating the play on the field”.

This is a potential area of discontent, as Hail Mary plays are often officiated more leniently. They usually feature heavy contact between receivers and defenders. Up until now, NFL referees rarely penalized players for it.

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The committee had concerns that coaches would challenge Hail Mary plays strategically. By leaving it to the officials during the last 2 minutes, this is no longer a problem.

All the NFL teams will have the chance to provide feedback for a further week. Afterwards, the final language of the new rule will be released.