The NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints two seasons ago sparked a major debate: Should pass interference be reviewable? The blatant missed call that cost the Saints a trip to the Super Bowl ultimately led to the league passing a rule that allowed the penalty to be reviewed.
One season’s worth of that experiment, however, led to nothing but more frustration and anger. Officials rarely overturned calls or non-calls on the field — no matter how blatant.
Now, the rule has met its ultimate fate.
NFL will let the pass-interference replay rule expire after one year
On Thursday, Chairman of the Competition Committee Rich McKay told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the league will let the pass-interference replay rule expire.
The league won’t even bother with a vote from the NFL owners on this. The experiment is over.
Based on how much frustration it caused last season, this is hardly a surprise. The only thing fans can really hope for at this point is that the refs do a better job with their initial calls.
Don’t hold your breath.