NFL Announces Hawk-Eye Technology Will Be Used to Measure 1st Downs for 2025 Season

The NFL is preparing to replace the regular-season chain crew with a camera-based measurement system to measure first downs.

Sony announced Tuesday that the brand's Hawk-Eye technology will be used "as the primary method for measuring the line to gain" during the 2025 NFL season.

The Hawk-Eye system uses cameras to measure yardage gains. The Washington Post's Mark Maske reports that this marks the first time the technology—which was tested during some 2024 preseason games—will be used during the regular season.

The technology depends on six 8K cameras that will track the ball, according to Sony's press release. These cameras will be operated in all NFL stadiums as well as international venues during the 2025 season.

According to Sony, "virtual recreations" of the first-down measurement will be shared on broadcasts and in stadiums.

Sony noted that the chain crew and the traditional first-down markers "will remain on the field in a secondary capacity."

Maske previously reported in February that the system "still requires the ball to be spotted manually by the on-field officials following a play, after which the system is used to determine whether a first down was achieved."

The NFL told reporters in February that it took chain crews on average 75 seconds to measure a first down, while the virtual system could complete the task in 30 seconds, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

Chains and markers were used as the NFL's primary method of first-down measurement for more than 100 years. ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Kris Rhim reported in 2024 that chain crews members are classified as part-time employees and paid minimum wage.

The NFL first announced its technology partnership with Sony ahead of the 2024 season.

Sony also confirmed the implementation of a "new coach's sideline headset for coach-to-coach communications" during the 2025 season. Unlike the headsets previously used by NFL coaches, the new models will feature noise-canceling, as previously reported by CNET's David Katzmaier.