NFL opens up pass interference calls to replay review

After an embarrassing blown call cost the New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl, the NFL has made a necessary rule change by enabling all pass interference calls to be reviewable.

The NFL had an ugly situation on its hands following the NFC Championship game, when a blatant non-call of pass interference cost the Saints a berth in Super Bowl LIII, and they have finally landed on a solution. After a vote involving all 32 teams, the league has now opened up pass interference calls to being eligible for replay review.

Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer notes that the rule change covers both penalties that were called and plays that may have been missed, which can be covered either by a challenge or the replay assistant in the final two minutes of the half.

SI‘s Jenny Vrentas also notes that the rule passed by a 31-1 margin, with NFL Network’s Mike Garofalo confirming the Bengals were the lone team to vote against it.

Like all rule changes in the NFL, it will enter a one-year trial period and only adds the pass interference calls (on both offense and defense) to the list of challengeable plays.

The NFL’s Operations department also offered more details, including a new nugget that the rule change also adds automatic reviews to all scoring plays, turnovers, and conversion attempts (either point-after or two-point tries) that were negated by a foul.

This change isn’t an unexpected one, but it will do a lot to negate the immense criticism the league received in the aftermath of the NFC title game.

Assuming this trial year goes off without a massive hitch, don’t be surprised if the NFL makes this change permanent, like it did with the new kickoff rules earlier in the day.