NFL committee recommends ending PI replay reviews

After further review, video reassessment of pass-interference calls is likely to be eliminated by the NFL after a one-year test run. The league's competition committee made the recommendation Friday. A final decision will be made at the owners meeting scheduled for May 19-20 in Marina del Rey, Calif.

The option to have a second look at potential pass-interference calls was sparked by a blown ruling that likely cost the New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2018-19 season. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman clearly interfered with New Orleans receiver Tommylee Lewis on a play that would have given the Saints a first down with an opportunity to run out the clock for a victory. However, no call was made, and Los Angeles went on to win 26-23 in overtime.

The competition committee also decided not to put forward the proposal of a "sky judge," an eighth official who sits in the press box and can correct any obvious missed calls. Two rule-change proposals were endorsed by the committee:

--Increasing "defenseless player" protection for kickoff returners or punt returners in possession of the ball before they can avoid pending contact. --Banning clock manipulation by committing multiple dead-ball fouls.

The later recommendation is a response to a tactic employed by the Tennessee Titans in their Jan. 4 playoff win over the Patriots. New England also used the tactic against the New York Jets on Oct. 21. Several other proposed rule changes were made by teams.

The Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens want to see a "booth umpire" and a "Senior Technology Advisor to the Referee" (STAR) added to officiating crews. The Miami Dolphins are requesting that the defense be granted the option to have the game clock start on the referee's signal following declined penalties on the offense in late-half and late-game situations.

The Philadelphia Eagles put forth three recommendations: modifying the rules banning blindside blocks, making permanent the review of scoring plays, turnovers negated by a penalty and extra-point attempts, and pushing overtime back to the previous 15-minute length from the current 10-minute length. --Field Level Media