NFL mulls allowing replay officials to throw flags.

In Indianapolis, the National Football League’s competition committee is considering whether to empower replay officials to issue penalties for certain infractions.

Despite potential reluctance for such a significant alteration to the league’s system of officiating, several committee members this week are aligning on a starting point: actions unrelated to gameplay that were not flagged by officials on the field.

Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, brought up this concept on Monday while addressing journalists during a recess in the ongoing discussions.

“The aim is not to simply open a floodgate of new rules,” Vincent stated, “yet we are convinced that offenses such as non-football actions can be very narrowly defined. We think that with some minor adjustments to the wording, this could be an initial move.”

Vincent highlighted a pair of instances from the 2025 season. The first happened during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX, involving New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Seattle Seahawks defensive back Josh Jobe, who clutched each other’s face masks near the boundary. Jobe subsequently landed a punch with his left hand to Diggs’ headwear. No foul was called at the time, but should the NFL implement the changes being debated by the competition committee, the video replay official present would have had the authority to impose a penalty and potentially remove Jobe from the game for the strike.

The second incident took place in the Week 16 match between the Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. Derick Hall, a Seahawks linebacker, trod on the limb of Rams guard Kevin Dotson after Dotson had fallen to the turf following a play in the opening quarter. Hall received no immediate penalty, but the league subsequently suspended him for one contest due to excessive roughness and conduct unbecoming a sportsman.

Prior to this, NFL franchise owners have shown resistance to empowering replay officials with the ability to call fouls, contending that doing so would replace the discretion of game-day referees with that of observers located remotely. Vincent, too, voiced reservations on Monday but indicated the league might proceed cautiously to gauge the outcome.

“This could represent the initial move toward allowing flags to be issued from off-field,” he remarked. “Considering the current climate of lawful sports gambling, personally, as a former athlete, I would have found it quite challenging to be at Lincoln Financial [Field], witness a significant moment, observe no immediate action within the stadium, and then suddenly, 10, 12, or 25 seconds later, prior to the subsequent snap, spot [a flag] on the playing surface. I’m uncertain about that.”

Regarding additional developments within the NFL:

• Several coaches specializing in special teams, notably Darren Rizzi of the Broncos and John Fassel of the Titans, participated in sessions to deliberate on kickoff returns and strategies for reducing the rate of injuries primarily affecting the player fielding the kick and the defender making the tackle during such plays.

“For nearly all players on the field, specifically 20 out of 22, this type of play presents significantly less risk than the prior iteration of the kickoff,” stated Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president for health and safety. “And generally speaking, it’s safer than the earlier kickoff format… yet we recognized the need for refinements. … I anticipate no major foundational alterations because I believe there’s a consensus – among the competition committee and health/safety department – that we are pursuing the correct course.”

• Vincent affirmed that no team submissions concerning the “tush push” play had been received, and the cutoff date for such proposals had elapsed. The committee deliberated on the concept of “assisting the ball carrier,” focusing particularly on instances where players are lifted and propelled into the end zone, and whether this practice should be permissible under the league’s regulations.

• Miller reported that the occurrence of ACL ruptures across the league had reached its lowest rate in the last seven-year period. Miller attributed this reduction potentially to modifications in the kickoff procedure and the involvement of ten franchises in a program aimed at preventing ACL injuries.

• Vincent indicated that no talks have occurred regarding a potential fourth-and-15 substitute for an onside kick, a rule suggestion originated by a team last season. During the 2025 season, NFL clubs successfully recovered five out of 52 attempted onside kicks.