Colts Propose NFL Rule Change to Allow Challenges on Penalties in Final 2 Minutes

If the Indianapolis Colts get their way, penalties will be reviewable during the final two minutes of NFL games.

As ESPN's Field Yates relayed Wednesday, the AFC South team issued a rule proposal that would allow coaches or replay officials to challenge a penalty in crunch time of games:

Indianapolis wasn't the only team to issue a proposal, as the Detroit Lions looked to "protect a club's ability to challenge a third ruling following one successful challenge," while the Philadelphia Eagles issued multiple proposals.

The most notable one from Philadelphia was replacing an onside kickoff attempt with one 4th-and-20 play to allow a team the chance to maintain possession after scoring.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero also noted the Eagles, Lions, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders proposed to move the trade deadline back from the Tuesday after Week 8 to the Tuesday after Week 10. The Pittsburgh Steelers proposed to move it back to the Tuesday after Week 9.

As for the Colts' proposal, it wasn't that long ago that the NFL allowed challenges for pass interference plays.

However, that lasted just one season during the 2019 campaign before it was scrapped going into the 2020 one.

Indianapolis' proposal is both more wide-ranging and limited at the same time, as the challenges would be for any penalty but would only happen in the final two minutes when the magnitude of potential missed calls is more pressing.

Officiating was widely criticized during the 2023 season, and having the opportunity to potentially challenge blatantly missed calls could at least provide a safety net at some of the most important moments.

The final minutes of the game between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs certainly comes to mind when thinking back on last year's controversies:

If the Colts' proposal goes into effect, there likely would have been a challenge in that situation.