Over the years, the NFL has expanded and adjusted its replay system to make sure more crucial calls are reviewable in an effort to get the big calls right. And if a new proposal passes, one more type of play will be automatically reviewed by the NFL’s replay assistant: failed fourth-down conversion attempts.
According to a report from Pro Football Talk, the Houston Texans have proposed a rule change that would make all failed fourth-down conversions automatically reviewable by the booth.
“The Texans are proposing a new NFL rule that would add failed fourth downs to the list of plays that can only be reviewed by the replay assistant, and not by a coach’s challenge,” Pro Football Talk wrote on Wednesday. “Currently replays are initiated from the booth on turnovers, scoring plays, in overtime and in the last two minutes of either half.”
This would be significant as it would allow replay officials to get the calls right even if the team failing to convert the fourth down was out of coach’s challenges. As a result, the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
Should be automatic like other turnovers
— John Dougherty (@DoughertyJ) March 13, 2023
Love this one
Turnovers are automatically reviewed as is, so why not automatically review turnover on downs plays?
Plus, this won't slow down the game at all, since the game already goes to commercial during a change of possession
Hope this one passes https://t.co/Atx57UZMyr
— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) March 13, 2023
Rule Change proposal by Houston Texans ; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 2, to expand the Replay Official’s jurisdiction to allow for review on failed fourth down attempts.
— Patrick Storm (@PatrickStormHTX) March 13, 2023
Ya that’s great let’s have 26 more reviews. Hard pass. https://t.co/k80FGpU8fC
— Sammy Aiello (@samaiello88) March 13, 2023
All other turnovers are reviewed by the booth automatically. This would ensure that turnovers on downs are treated the same way.