The NFL’s decision to make pass interference reviewable last season did not have much of a positive impact on the game, which is why it is not surprising that the concept is being scrapped going forward.
Rich McKay, the chairman of the NFL’s Competition Committee, confirmed in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday that there will be no video replay review for pass interference in 2020. He said the rule change is dying a “natural death” because no one even put it to a vote.
Chairman of the Competition Committee Rich McKay tells us OPI/DPI Replay Review will not be returning….
AUDIO pic.twitter.com/NzbATgNFgv
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) May 7, 2020
Overall, the ability of coaches to review pass interference calls and no-calls last season ended up being a sham. There were 101 such replays initiated either by coach’s challenges or booth reviews, and the call on the field was changed just 21 times. Referees consistently showed an unwillingness to change the call on the field, even when it was blatantly obvious that the wrong call was made or a call should have been made.
The NFL only decided to experiment with reviewing pass interference plays after one of the worst no-calls in football history cost the New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. The rule change was a direct response to public pressure, but officials barely ever used it to correct themselves last season.
