New NFL Rule: Challenge Flags for Penalties

NFL pioneered official reviews that led the way to them being adopted for the NBA and MLB.  I remember when reviews first took place, they extended the length of games far too long. Now the review process is pretty good, but it could be a little bit better. There are certain situations that the NFL currently doesn't allow reviews and one of them is regarding penalty flags.


This is more difficult to explain in writing, but hopefully you will understand what I mean.

The Fix:  

- Give coaches a 3rd challenge each game.

- Penalty challenges may be used if a coach believes a penalty should not have been assessed or if they believe a penalty was missed.

- May use only use 2 for plays or penalties.

- If a team wins either 2 for plays or penalties, they should be granted an additional challenge whether they won the 3rd different challenge or not. 

Example: 

- Lions coach challenges that pass interference should have been called last weekend against the Cowboys. And say they won that challenge.

- Then the Lions challenges another play where a Cowboy defender grabs a facemask of a Lion's player and it didn't get called on the field, but gets called on review.

- Therefore the Lions would be allowed another challenge whether they lost their 3rd challenge on another play or not.

One more change:  All challenges should be reviewed by a replay official rather than the on field official to speed up replays like college games.

Conclusion:  This will give teams a full ability to right the wrongs on the field and not cry about it for 4 to 6 weeks until there is a similar play. This replay system will also reduce the risk of the NFL having another 8 plays a season to bad mouth their officials for making the wrong call.

And all teams live happily ever after!