The NFL is considering a rule change that would allow replay to fix mistakes when a quarterback is ruled down before throwing a pass, even when he wasn’t down.
Under current NFL rules, if a pass is thrown after the quarterback’s knee touches the ground or he steps out of bounds, but the officials on the field get it wrong, it can be reviewed in replay. But in the opposite situation — the quarterback was ruled down or out of bounds but he actually wasn’t — replay can’t fix the mistake. Under the Competition Committee’s proposal announced today, that mistake would be reviewable.
The full text of the proposed rule says:
“When an on-field ruling is down by contact, and the passer clearly throws the ball before being down by contact, the ball will be awarded at the spot of completion or interception. No advance is permitted. If the pass is incomplete, the down counts. . . .
“When an on-field ruling is out of bounds, and the passer clearly threw the ball before touching out of bounds, the ball will be awarded at the spot of completion or interception. No advance is permitted. If the pass is incomplete, the down counts.”
In other words, a complete pass or interception could be permitted even if the quarterback was ruled down or out of bounds before passing, if replay shows the quarterback actually wasn’t down or out of bounds. But any yardage the receiver gained after catching the ball would not count.
The rule will be adopted if 24 teams vote for it.