NFL to use electronic measuring in 2025

[Motorin']

13 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. 

 

A chip alone won't solve the problem, cause a chipped ball can't tell when a knee or other body part is down. 

[T master]

15 hours ago, Brand J said:

Would have had the first down with this tech

 

Truly the Tech was in place alls they need to do on any kind of possibility of a QB sneak or the Tush Push as we know it is put the dam camera that they have on cables that we always see in games right over the top of the play for another set of eyes to help determine where the ball is and that would have more than confirmed that Josh had the first !

 

But to allow the ref that josh had his back to to make the over riding call on that play was complete and utter ignorants at it's finest ! The ref Josh was facing should have made that call . 

 

Sorry i had a flash back ...

[LabattBlue]

36 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

A chip alone won't solve the problem, cause a chipped ball can't tell when a knee or other body part is down. 

…or when forward progress is stopped. 

[Brand J]

31 minutes ago, T master said:

 

Truly the Tech was in place alls they need to do on any kind of possibility of a QB sneak or the Tush Push as we know it is put the dam camera that they have on cables that we always see in games right over the top of the play for another set of eyes to help determine where the ball is and that would have more than confirmed that Josh had the first !

 

But to allow the ref that josh had his back to to make the over riding call on that play was complete and utter ignorants at it's finest ! The ref Josh was facing should have made that call . 

 

Sorry i had a flash back ...

I wonder if Josh had flipped the ball to the ref that gave the first, if he still would’ve conceded his spot to the other one. Just a frustrating series of downs, should’ve had the first twice.

[Michael1962]

16 hours ago, Malazan said:

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

There are pumps for that (according to my friend).

[Taro Nimbus]

Can’t wait to read all the “They changing the rules for the Bills!” comments once this goes into effect.  🙄

[Captain Hindsight]

What rule will the Bills change next?

[PrimeTime101]

They should of done this 5-10 years ago. 

All you have to do is put in a chip and mend it inside a football on each end.  

Everyone in the world will know instantly if/when the ball crosses the first down marker.

 

it wont lie. 

Its one less way the Refs can cheat a game.

[Bferra13]

3 hours ago, Motorin' said:

 

A chip alone won't solve the problem, cause a chipped ball can't tell when a knee or other body part is down. 

Being down was not the issue in the AFC Championship game. This is basically useless what they have implemented here yet it's being spun by the NFL guys luke it's some huge change. It literally just replaces the chain gang.

[Dan]

6 hours ago, Metal Man said:

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.

Agreed the chains aren’t the problem.  If done properly… they’re extremely accurate. 
 

The problem is the ref that puts the ball on the ground.  Thats the arbitrary, paid off ref influenced aspect of the game that needs fixed.     That and.. unless they did it and never showed it on tv… did they even bring the chains out and do a measurement in the ACFCCG?  

 

 

 

 

 

[2003Contenders]

And to think, while the Josh Allen "no 1st down" call will forever be remembered, the officials also spotted the ball short of where it should have been SEVERAL times in that game. If the ball is properly placed in all of those situations, maybe the game doesn't come down to a "failed" 4th down attempt.

[T master]

3 hours ago, Taro Nimbus said:

Can’t wait to read all the “They changing the rules for the Bills!” comments once this goes into effect.  🙄

 

And it will probably be from Chiefs fans the most ...

[Motorin']

2 hours ago, Bferra13 said:

Being down was not the issue in the AFC Championship game. This is basically useless what they have implemented here yet it's being spun by the NFL guys luke it's some huge change. It literally just replaces the chain gang.

 

 

This system would have worked in the AFC championship game on 4th down. 

 

But a chip alone wouldn't have solved the problem of Kincaid and Cook (and everybody else) being marked short. Cause the chip in the ball can't confirm when the player was down. 

 

I'm not against the idea of a chip, but the system will still need to coordinate with all of the available angles to see when a player was down. 

[Matt_In_NH]

On 2/26/2025 at 7:21 PM, stevestojan said:

Would have gotten Josh the first down against KC which only means it will ***** us next season. 

Why do you think that would have changed it?  There wasn’t even a measurement.  

[Bferra13]

5 hours ago, Motorin' said:

 

 

This system would have worked in the AFC championship game on 4th down. 

 

But a chip alone wouldn't have solved the problem of Kincaid and Cook (and everybody else) being marked short. Cause the chip in the ball can't confirm when the player was down. 

 

I'm not against the idea of a chip, but the system will still need to coordinate with all of the available angles to see when a player was down. 

Good call. Maybe this is a step towards the bigger picture. The devil on my shoulder though kinda thinks the NFL doesn't want a complete checks and balance system in place for refs though.

[stevestojan]

58 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

Why do you think that would have changed it?  There wasn’t even a measurement.  

That’s actually a great point. Will they use it by default or only when a measurement is officially called for? 

[Orlando Buffalo]

This change is for one reason, anyone who saw the play knows that Josh got the first by at least the length of the football and the only people on the planet too stupid to fix it were the refs. Also, just to anyone who thinks this will fix it for sure, the premiership of soccer still screws it up royally on occasion and sometimes in manners that are just as stupifying. 

[Matt_In_NH]

18 minutes ago, stevestojan said:

That’s actually a great point. Will they use it by default or only when a measurement is officially called for? 

Measuring and spotting are two different things.  Measuring is not typically controversial and this is about measuring.  Nothing is being done about spotting which is where controversies are. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Matt_In_NH

[Bferra13]

9 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

Measuring and spotting are two different things.  Measuring is not typically controversial and this is about measuring.  Nothing is being done about spotting which is where controversies are. 

Exactly, the whole thing is pretty useless. The reason they are doing it is because they say it saves time from having the chain gang come out. Saves 30 secs. And this was said at the combine when they presented it to the people in the room.  It's a nothingburger. Hope this is a start though for further reforms. The sad thing is though that the NFL is trying to trick people into thinking this is some big reform.