NFL will no longer experiment with expanded replay due to canceled preseason

There is one consequence of the canceled NFL preseason: potential changes to the power of replay officials won’t be coming in 2020.

The league had been preparing to experiment with allowing referees to seek replay opinion on objective calls during the preseason. This was the result of a proposal backed by coaches that would have given limited authority to a “sky judge” to recommend reversals on request. Had the changes been successful in preseason, something similar could have been adopted for the regular season.

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, that plan is off due to the cancellation of NFL preseason games. Instead, the league will use in-season study to identify possible moments when the on-field crew could theoretically request help. This will be only a study, and will mean that there are no actual changes to officiating protocol for 2020.

What does it mean? Ultimately, with pass interference challenges being scrapped after a year, the league’s officiating protocols are right back to where they were at the end of the 2018 season. Changes may still come in the future, but it won’t be before 2021.