Pass Interference Can Be Challenged, Reviewed Under New NFL Rule

NFL owners passed a new rule Tuesday that will allow coaches to challenge pass interference calls or non-calls, beginning with the 2019 season.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said coaches will have to challenge the penalties/non-calls before the last two minutes of each half, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. In the final two minutes, the replay official will determine whether a call needs to be reviewed.

"This is what I wanted to happen. That's why I made my statement. (The non-call in the title game) will never happen again," Saints owner Gayle Benson told reporters.

The NFL competition committee introduced the proposal on Monday. Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said it received support from all 32 coaches, who have been looking for ways to avoid critical calls from being missed.

"People would say [to me], 'Stop,'" Saints coach Sean Payton said, per Keith Seifert of ESPN.com. "But I'm not complaining at all. It's just trying to think forward here. It's what deductible are you comfortable with? [We] just got hit with this event. I don't think it was good for anyone. Coaches met yesterday for 2 1/2 hours. It's the best meeting I've been a part of in my 13 years."

The new rule would have allowed officials to review the controversial non-call on Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, which arguably cost the Saints a chance at the Super Bowl. Officials missed both a pass interference and a helmet-to-helmet hit; Robey-Coleman received a fine for his hit on Tommylee Lewis.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden said he thinks the best solution would be to have the replay official who is already at every game help referees handle the missed calls.

"I believe that the coaches were on the right track," Gruden said. "I believe that the replay official, his role could expand. I think he could be able to personally be able to beep down to the [referee] when there is an obvious or indisputable error.

"Maybe there are 13 guys on the field. You can't give them a fifth down. Perhaps even the play that cost the Saints. ... I do think that guy up there, without interrupting the game, can right an indisputable wrong. I believe that should happen."

Previous proposals for reviewing penalties have not garnered much support, due to pace-of-play and potential undermining of officials. However, after such a high-profile missed call, there has been more support than ever to change the existing rule.

At the suggestion of the coaches, the owners were quick to adopt the new plan. The Cincinnati Bengals were the only team to vote against the new rule, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.