NFL referees have displayed several glaring mistakes this postseason, and rather than addressing these issues, the NFL appears to be offering excuses. Recent discussions have focused on potentially using microchips in footballs to help accurately determine possession and first downs, but it seems this technology won’t be flawless either.
In a recent interview with Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, NFL V.P. of football business strategy, Kimberly Fields, Esq., acknowledged the league’s progress toward implementing technology for first-down measurements. However, she emphasized that there will “always be a human element” involved in ball spotting, stating, “What this technology cannot do is take the place of the human element in determining where forward progress ends.” Fields clarified that while officials will always spot the ball, the line-to-gain technology will handle the measurement itself, calling out a widespread misunderstanding regarding the technology’s capabilities.
NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk disagrees with this rationale, viewing it as merely an excuse. He asserts, “The NFL has the money. The NFL has the incentive, even if it won’t admit it. Smarter people than me (that bar is low) can figure out how to do it, if they want to.” He argues that at this critical juncture in the game, the league should be emphasizing its commitment to adopting digital methods for accurately determining forward progress and ball placement instead of maintaining that human oversight must remain a necessity.
As Super Bowl LIX approaches, all eyes will be on the officials during the match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
