Like every professional sports league, the NFL is always looking for ways to improve its product.
This season, it introduced some dramatic changes to its rules.
It was the first year the league used new kickoff rules to encourage more returns and protect special teams players.
The changes ultimately proved worthwhile, as teams ran the ball back more and often set themselves up in scoring position.
With one change to the rules successful, the league is now looking at other avenues to improve game flow.
A new technology system to help measure first downs is one possible change for the 2025 NFL season.
Jordan Raanan of ESPN recently posted a video of the league testing the new system.
“The new laser technology to replace the chains coming out on the field to measure first downs,” Raanan wrote on X.
The new laser technology to replace the chains coming out on the field to measure first downs. pic.twitter.com/cGCzb6AMWI
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) August 9, 2024
The proposal calls for an official to manually spot the football on the field, and a series of optical tracking cameras would help determine whether the football is past the mark for a first down.
The new system is expected to speed up measurements, though nothing has been settled yet.
This isn’t a new proposal as the system was used during a few preseason games, but now the NFL will decide whether to implement it in its entirety for the 2025 season.
There are some things that need to be fleshed out, but the idea is intriguing.
