Replay Assist Expansion: A Solution to Mahomes Controversy?
For all those who have been vocal about the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes receiving too many favorable calls, there might be some relief on the horizon. According to league sources, the NFL is expected to expand its replay assist this offseason to include plays that involve the quarterback slide.
Now, let’s take a step back and understand what this means. The NFL introduced replay assist in 2021. This was a move to allow replay officials and designated members of the officiating department to lend a hand with on-field calls in specific game situations. The idea was to make the game fairer and more accurate, especially when there is clear and obvious video evidence. This includes situations like the spot of the ball, fouls, complete or incomplete passes, and touching of the ball or a line.
Fast forward to 2024, and the league has already expanded replay assist to cover more areas. This includes providing information when there’s a penalty flag on the field, such as fouls for hits heading out of bounds, blows to the head of a quarterback, and elements of intentional grounding. But now, the NFL is considering adding even more elements to this list, particularly focusing on the quarterback slide.
Why the sudden interest in quarterback slides, you ask? Well, it all came to a head during the third quarter of last weekend’s AFC divisional playoff game. Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket and slid beneath two lunging Houston Texans defenders. Despite the slide, Houston was hit with a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness. This call sparked quite the debate.
ESPN analyst Troy Aikman was quick to voice his disagreement during the telecast. “Oh come on,” he exclaimed as the penalty was called. “I mean, he’s a runner and I could not disagree with that one more. He barely gets hit.” Aikman went on to say that the league needs to address this issue in the offseason. “You can’t, as a quarterback, run around and play games with the defenders and then get called for a penalty,” he added.
So, what’s next? The NFL’s competition committee is set to meet throughout the offseason. They typically vote on rules changes in late March at the league’s annual meeting, which this year will be held in Palm Beach, Florida. The expansion of replay assist is on the agenda, and it’s likely to include quarterback slides.
There’s a growing belief around the league that there’s no reason not to bring further objectivity and clarity to plays that fans can clearly see, whether they’re in the stadium or watching from home. Texans star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., who was flagged earlier in the game for roughing the passer, expressed his frustration. He mentioned that Houston “knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game.”
On the other side of the debate, Mahomes has pushed back against the notion that the Chiefs receive favorable treatment from officials. “I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said as the Chiefs began preparations for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills. “At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can.”
Mahomes continued, “All you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. … I feel like I’ve just continued to play the game, and I just try to win, and whatever happens kind of happens.”
- Replay assist was introduced in 2021 to help with on-field calls.
- In 2024, it expanded to include more areas like hits out of bounds and intentional grounding.
- The NFL is considering adding quarterback slides to replay assist.
- The competition committee will discuss this in their offseason meetings.
- Mahomes and others have differing views on the fairness of calls.
As the NFL continues to evolve, the expansion of replay assist could be a step towards ensuring fairness and accuracy in the game. Whether you’re a fan of Mahomes or not, it’s clear that the league is listening to the concerns of players, analysts, and fans alike. The upcoming offseason meetings will be crucial in determining how these changes will shape the future of the game.
Originally Written by: Adam Schefter
