Thursday was a good day for Richard Sherman.
NFL Competition Committee Chairman Rich McKay told SiriusXM that the NFL no longer would review pass interference calls during the upcoming season.
“We’re not going to vote on, because nobody is putting forward, the OPI/DPI review again. So that dies a natural death,” McKay said.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE And so, the NFL's pass interference replay era amounts to a one-year trial run.
Sherman no doubt is pleased with the decision. The 49ers cornerback was outspoken against the rule change during the 2019 season. Sherman was flagged for PI after a review during the 49ers' Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and then was hit with three PI flags in a win over the Arizona Cardinals later in the season. After the three-flag game, Sherman floated a conspiracy theory about why review was going against him and not other players.
“I had three penalties on the season coming into this game, and to get three in a half is really interesting, especially with the way that the reversals have gone,” Sherman said in his postgame press conference. “I think there’s been probably over 100 PI challenges this year, and there’s been five, I think, reversals. And I’m two of them.
"I think being an E.C. member and part of that committee has its perks, and then it has its conversations where you’re the only one who gets overturned."
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Whether or not Sherman still has his tinfoil hat on remains to be seen, but at least he won't have to worry about getting hit with flags after a replay review in 2020.
[RELATED: Sherman thinks it's 'foolish' to blame Jimmy G for Super Bowl loss]
The NFL is trying to minimize replay and use it only for objective questions and let the officials on the field decided the subjective issues.
One thing is clear in all of this: The New Orleans Saints just can't win.
[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]
