Peter King Calls for NFL Rule Change on Hail Mary Plays After Bucs' Loss to Bills

On Thursday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield uncorked a perfectly thrown 62-yard Hail Mary into the chilly Buffalo air only to see it come down untouched to end a 24-18 loss to the Bills.

As the throw neared the end zone, Bills defenders Taylor Rapp and Christian Benford blocked Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton from getting past the goal line to make a play at the ball.

In response to that, longtime NFL reporter (and current NBC Sports scribe) Peter King is calling for rule changes on the play.

"I think this is what should happen on Hail Marys. The Competition Committee and the commissioner should come out of next spring's league meeting with a decree that says the play will be called differently going forward. Beginning in 2024, jostling will be allowed as players get in position for the Hail Mary pass to fall to earth."

"Pulling players down, blatantly holding them or locking them away from the play with two defenders will result in pass-interference, with an untimed down for the offensive team at either the spot of the foul or the one-yard line. Bottom line: Officials cannot allow one play to be a bastardization of the rules, which is exactly what the Hail Mary is now. It is a joke, and the NFL has allowed it to be that."

King raises a good point, in that Hail Marys are seemingly officiated differently. Defenders have far more free will to do whatever they want to prevent a completion, as King noted.

"Except, on Hail Marys, there are never offenders," King stated.

"Anything goes. There is no play like this in football, and possibly in all of sports, where the officials see blatant pass interference and defensive holding (and some offensive penalties at times too) and never throw a flag."

King notably had a conversation with NBC Sports' Mike Florio on the matter as well, noting the importance for the league to have a conversation on the matter:

Nothing will change this season, but there could hypothetically be fixes in 2024 should the Competition Committee decided to address the matter at spring meetings. Until then, defensive players could continue to see more leeway downfield.