NFL looks at adding “booth umpire” and tech advisor for refs

NFL is considering ding a “booth umpire” and a senior techlogy visor to referee to assist officiating crew.

league also is looking at or rules changes, including an alternative to onside kick.

NFL clubs received a list of potential rules changes on Thursday. Owners will vote on proposals at upcoming league meeting to be held by video conference on May 28.

league’s competition committee told teams last month it supports studying ways to determine how officiating personnel who have access to a video feed could help on-field officials. A booth umpire would serve as an eighth game official.

If owners don’t approve ding a booth umpire and/or a senior techlogy viser, league could test a version of both rules in preseason for possible future implementation.

proposal that would give teams ar option inste of an onside kick permits a team to maintain possession of ball after a score by substituting one offensive play. kicking team would attempt a fourth-and-15 from its 25-yard line. This could be done a maximum of two times per game.

Onside kicks have become infrequent — and hardly ever successful — since NFL changed rules on alignments for kickoffs.

Or rules changes that’ll be discussed:

— Making permanent expansion of automatic replay reviews to include scoring plays and turvers negated by a foul, and any successful or unsuccessful extra-point attempt.

— Providing option to defense for game clock to start on referee’s signal if defense declines an offensive penalty that occurs late in eir half. This would eliminate instances when an offense could benefit time-wise from committing a penalty.

— Expanding defenseless player protection to a kickoff or punt returner who is in possession of ball but who has t h time to avoid or ward off impending contact of an opponent.

— Preventing teams from manipulating game clock by committing multiple de-ball fouls while clock is running.

Eagles h proposed restoring preseason and regular-season overtime to 15 minutes and to implement rules to minimize impact of overtime coin toss. But y have withdrawn idea.

Owners are expected to drop use of video reviews on pass interference after a one-year trial that caused as many heaches as it solved issues. competition committee has recommended t renewing rule that was put in place for last season after an egregious missed call in 2018 NFC title game affected result.