NFL to use electronic measuring in 2025

[Buffalo_Stampede]

We need to start hanging banners.

2021 OT rule change 

2024 Electronic measuring 

[Utah John]

This is not the solution.  The referees are still going to eyeball the place where the ball is spotted at the end of a play.  So there will be a very precise measurement of a much less precise position.  This would not have saved the Bills in any of the several egregious plays, where the Bills player clearly crossed the line to gain but had the ball spotted behind it.  

[Einstein]

I like that the chain will still be on the field a a backup. It would look weird without it.

[Mikie2times]

3 hours ago, Malazan said:

I used electronic measuring, but it didn't make it any longer.

It has to be big enough for the sensors to catch it 

[MJS]

I'm assuming they also capture where the knee or other body parts are down. That's a critical piece and sometimes players are almost completely obscured, especially on plays like a QB sneak. How does the AI determine things when none of the camera angles show anything with certainty? Do the officials step in there?

23 minutes ago, Utah John said:

This is not the solution.  The referees are still going to eyeball the place where the ball is spotted at the end of a play.  So there will be a very precise measurement of a much less precise position.  This would not have saved the Bills in any of the several egregious plays, where the Bills player clearly crossed the line to gain but had the ball spotted behind it.  

Yeah, if that's the case, it is practically useless. If officials are still eyeballing everything, what's the point?

[Dan Darragh]

3 hours ago, Malazan said:

I used electronic measuring, but it didn't make it any longer.

The only question is whether you reached the line to gain.

[Augie]

Do you ever feel like they are just teasing us?

 

It’s like high school all over again!  😂 

[BobbyC81]

Welcome to the 21st Century, NFL!!

[BobbyC81]

You can’t completely eliminate the human factor of the game of football but it always seemed odd to me that a multi-billion dollar (actually probably trillion now) industry relies on someone eyeballing where the ball is placed, then some guy eyeballing that spot to place a stick, then having a 10 yard long chain used to determine if the team got the necessary yards for a first down.  With all the eyeballing, why does it have to be so exact and have games decided because of an inch?
 

The Bills had a great season which unfortunately may have ended based on the eyeballing.

 

Regarding the chain, I swear there was one instance in a Bills game where I found the measurement to be shady.  The chain is attached to the stick an inch or so above the ground.  Usually you see the stick guy pull the chain taut and sometimes shake it to remove any possible chinks before putting it down.   In this instance the stick was put down and part of the chain was on the ground and they ruled the Bills didn’t make a first down.  They moved the stick away real quick so it was down for less than a second.

[BigDingus]

9 hours ago, Bferra13 said:

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/01/27/hawkeye-nfl-first-down-chiefs-bills/

 

Sal was talking about this after the AFC Championship. That this just replaces the chain gang and not where the ball is actually spotted. And said this would not have changed the call as this article does as well. I dont know why they won't chip the ball. 

 

Exactly. It doesn't really change much. Here's this from ESPN -

 

Among other changes, the NFL plans to use its virtual measuring system to determine first downs in 2025. This wouldn't eliminate the officials who manually spot the ball and use chains to mark the line to gain. The optimal tracking system notifies officiating instantly if a first down was gained after the ball is spotted by hand. "We used this in the background last season," said Kimberly Fields, the NFL's senior vice president of football operations. "The goal for 2025 is to continue to train our techs, who are the ones who will be utilizing the technology, finalizing all of our officiating processes and procedures around virtual measurements and testing the graphics for the broadcast and in-stadium, so fans in the stadium and fans watching on television can see what we're doing. The chain crew will still be there as backup."

 

So yeah, apparently this was already in use last year. Not sure why they insist on keeping the chain gang or all the other nonsense. Just use the concrete tracking data & stop dicking around already.

[Scott7975]

12 hours ago, HappyDays said:

The NFL loves creating new rules that would have helped the Bills a month ago.

 

 

 

It says for the regular season. Does that mean the playoffs won't use it? I hate when they have different rules. Also, I think they already experimented on this in the preseason or something. I read something about it but it was a while back and I don't remember.

[Metal Man]

I don't get why people are so against the chains. Unless you initially measure wrong when creating them I don't see how they can be inaccurate.

 

The problem is spotting the ball. That seems to me to be the area that needs electronic assistance.

[NewEra]

Hawk eye does very little and that’s why it’s being instituted.  

 

The chip is what is needed to remove some control from their hands.  Two refs give two different spots-  whose spot counts?  Whichever spot they want