A coach can challenge a play if they are concerned about a call on the field. A coach will shout out a challenge and the referee will acknowledge them. If he agrees with the call, he will signal his approval. If something goes wrong, he will signal his disapproval. This is also when he will make a ruling on the challenge.
What Happens During an NFL Coach Challenge?
In American Football, a coach may challenge a call of a referee on the field. The challenge is initiated by the team’s coach by throwing a red challenge flag onto the field. Once the challenge is initiated, the referee reviews the play in question on video replay. Although this process is relatively new, it is not uncommon for a coach to challenge a call that he doesn’t agree with.
How Many Challenges in the NFL?
Each Head Coach receives 2 challenges throughout a game that allow them to debate certain types of plays. If the coach wins both of their challenges, they receive the third challenge and it’s called a Super Varsity challenge.
What Are the Coach Challenge Rules?
A. Illegal forward pass
B. Illegal procedure
C. Illegal down field lateral
D. Illegal return of an interception
E. False Start
F. Defensive holding
G. Illegal formation
H. Face mask penalty
I. Illegal block below the waist
J. Illegal contact
K. Defensive pass interference
L. Deflection (touchback)
M. Incomplete pass
In 2009, the NCAA football committee added a couple of plays to the standard list of reviewable plays. One is called “Incomplete pass”.
What Happens After a Coach Signals a Challenge Call?
After a coach challenges a specific play, referees will go to a TV screen and review a video of it. Coach challenges are known as replay reviews since they require the refs to watch multiple play angles. The officials will look at many angles of the play and establish whether or not there is enough evidence to overturn the call. After the game you will be able to see the review in real time and then be able to view the video later.
The officials will review the call to see if it was legit. If it was legit, they will announce the result as per usual before the next play. If it wasn’t legit, the team that gave the challenge will lose out on one timeout.
Replays are also used after certain plays if the league’s head referee on the field sees a play that he considers a possible change. For example, if a pass is tipped at the line of scrimmage, or if there is a holding penalty after a play, the head referee may call a replay review to check the play again. However, the head referee does not have the power to reverse the original call, which is made by the referee on the field.
What is the History of a Coach Challenge?
In order to address the growing backlash against instant replay, the league re-introduced the original use of instant replay in the 1985 AFL-NFL merger. Instant replay was used to determine whether or not the ball was in bounds for a field goal attempt. In this situation, the instant replay official would look at the play and then decide whether or not the ball was in bounds. This new system was extremely unpopular and didn’t take long until fans and press alike were complaining that the process was so slow, ball games were almost impossible to watch. Fans were calling for the re-introduction of play by play, radio broadcast, and game clock.
The new coaching challenge system was in place in 1999. It allowed a coach and an official to have a conversation directly following a play. The system did not involve the league officials hearing a coaching challenge and then deciding if a replay is needed.
When Did the First Super Bowl Challenge Take Place?
In the 2000 Super Bowl, James Harrison was ejected after arguing a play in which the Baltimore Ravens’ Jamal Lewis scored a touchdown. Because the call stood on the field, the Steelers were allowed to challenge the decision for a potential replay review which they subsequently used on a key play.
Where Are the Official NFL Headquarters for Reviews?
In 2014 the league started having officiating meetings and discussions with the league office off-site to talk about the challenges and rules that were being addressed.
Will there Be More Changes to the Reviews?
After reviewing the data from the 2018 season, the league has concluded that the play calling changes made in 2017 were successful. The league believes that the changes made in 2018 will improve offensive efficiency. The NFL has also informed the New York Giants that they will be changing the number of points they are awarded after an offensive touchdown in 2019.
How Often Do Coaches Win Their Challenges?
The Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy, is one of the best in the business when it comes to calling for the correct spot on the field. The Seattle Seahawks’ head coach, Pete Carroll, and New Orleans Saints’ head coach, Sean Payton, are similarly successful, they get nearly half of their challenges overturned.
While the referees have a history of making the right calls in the NFL, they have a huge reputation to uphold, and the calls they make are scrutinized even more. The NFL is even going all-in on improving the situation with new procedures for the officials and will start testing a new call-and-challenge system before the 2020 season.
Conclusion: What is an NFL Coach Challenge?
On a first down play, a coach can challenge a defensive pass interference call, but after doing so, the team must take a time out. If the play stands, the team has to kneel or get penalized 15 yards for a delay of game. But if the coach challenges wrong, he must take a time out, which is a 15-yard penalty, giving the defensive team a great advantage.
