Rules are part of the game. Changing them is meant to improve it. Adding new ones is often done with that same intention. But that does not mean everyone will be on board. Take this year, for instance: the NFL is considering a rule that would allow officials in New York to step in and add penalties if something is missed by the refs on the field. Art Rooney II, the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ owner, however, is not entirely convinced that it is the right move.

“That’s kind of crossing a new line there, in terms of allowing New York to put a flag on the field,” Rooney said in an interview with the Post-Gazette. “You know, so far, we have not done that, and we’ve had discussions about not wanting to do that. So we’re taking a step across a new line doing that. I want to hear what everybody has to say about what the competition committee wants to say on it, but I definitely have some reservations about that one.”

Rooney’s concern came at a time when the NFL is in the middle of tense negotiations with the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA). The current agreement between the NFL and the NFLRA will come to an end on May 31. In case it breaks down, the league might expect a work stoppage.

For the same reason, the league initiated the preparation and reached out to small-college officials. In the stretch, the league has built a pool of around 150 replacement referees. In a what-if world, if a work stoppage happens and the replacement refs get on the field, the league will look at a more centralized officiating model.

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While the on-field refs would still call the games, the personnel at the Art McNally GameDay Central command center in New York would have the authority to step in on a range of called and uncalled penalties, specifically after the two-minute warning and in overtime

That is where Rooney’s hesitation really comes into focus. The new rule will change the flow of the game fundamentally.

“It could definitely impact some of these things we’ve done with the idea that it would improve pace of play,” Rooney added. “I don’t think we’ve really shortened the game in a meaningful way recently, maybe some when we started with that technology last year, the line-to-gain technology, which didn’t seem to go much faster than the old chain gang.

“So that is a concern in terms of, just for me at least, I don’t want to see more flags on the field than we have now. I would hope that if we cross this line and go down this road, it would be kind of a rare use of that new rule.”

Just last year, the league had already experimented with new officiating tools when it introduced the virtual line-to-gain system. Rooney, meanwhile, believes that those changes have not sped up the game the way it was supposed to at the time of the implementation of the rule.

And that is why Rooney’s argument exists in the first place. On paper, allowing New York to step in would help in correcting the missed calls. But at the same time, it could also result in extra stoppages, more flags, and more interruptions during the game.

The NFL Competition Committee has already proposed this rule to the NFL owners. To get it passed, it’ll require at least 24 out of the league’s 32 owners’ votes. While it’s still uncertain whether it’ll get clear, the league has already made up its mind, despite not everyone being convinced.

A look at the NFL’s new proposed rule regarding the officiating

It is worth noting that the rule the NFL has proposed would only come into play if a work stoppage carries into the regular season, per ESPN. Under the proposal, league staff in New York would be able to alert replacement referees if there is clear and obvious evidence of an uncalled foul, whether it is roughing the passer, intentional grounding, or an act that could lead to disqualification.

At the same time, that authority works both ways. League officials could also step in to say a flag should not have been thrown if video shows that a key element of the penalty was not actually present.

This opens the door to real-time corrections on a wide range of calls. We are talking about situations involving facemask penalties, horse-collar tackles, illegal contact, and more. In simple terms, New York would function as a live correction system during games.

And then it goes a step further. After the two-minute warning and in overtime, the proposed rules would expand that authority even more. New York would be able to review plays involving unsportsmanlike conduct. Think of punching or kicking, along with certain kicking play violations.

For now, though, it remains just a proposal from the NFL competition committee. Art Rooney II has already voiced his concerns. But blocking it would require support from at least eight other owners. If the league secures 24 out of 32 votes, it will move forward. And if that happens, it’ll potentially start a new phase of how NFL games are officiated.