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Video: Broncos vs. Falcons Features NFL's 1st-Ever Pass Interference Challenge
August 2, 2019
It took just one half into the preseason for fans to see the new pass interference rule in action.
For the first time, teams are allowed to challenge pass interference calls, as the Denver Broncos did Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons in the Hall of Fame Game:
After review, the call against Broncos cornerback Linden Stephens was upheld. Denver was charged with a timeout for the failed challenge.
The league announced the rule change in June, explaining that a replay official can overturn a call when there is "clear and obvious visual evidence" that the ruling on the field is incorrect.
The change was especially notable after the NFC Championship Game last season in which the Los Angeles Rams seemingly got away with an infraction when Nickell Robey-Coleman made early contact against Tommylee Lewis.
Instead of getting a first down, the New Orleans Saints settled for a field and suffered a loss in overtime.
It will bear monitoring how adding replay to these calls will alter games, but the first example showed the officials deciding to stay with the call on the field after a relatively quick review.
