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 is set to expire on May 31. If those talks break down, a work stoppage is not out of the question.

The league, for its part, is already preparing for that possibility. It has begun reaching out to small-college officials and has built a pool of around 150 replacement referees. It is a familiar contingency plan, one that echoes what happened back in 2012.

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Now, layer that context onto the proposed rule. In a scenario where replacement officials are on the field, the league is essentially looking at a more centralized officiating model.

On-field refs would still call the game. But 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, especially after the two-minute warning and in overtime.

That is where Rooney’s hesitation really comes into focus. It is not just about authority; it is about how it changes the flow of the game.

“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.”

That last point ties into a broader trend. The league has already experimented with new officiating tools, including the virtual line-to-gain system introduced last year. But from Rooney’s perspective, those changes have not meaningfully sped up the game.

And that is why this proposal feels different. Allowing New York to step in could, in theory, correct missed calls. But it could also introduce more stoppages, more flags, and more interruptions to the rhythm of the game.

For now, it is still just a proposal. To pass, it will need approval from at least 24 of the league’s 32 owners. Whether it gets there remains uncertain. What is clear, though, is that the league is seriously considering a shift toward more centralized involvement in on-field officiating. And not everyone is fully comfortable with that direction.

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.

That opens the door to real-time corrections on a wide range of calls. We are talking about situations involving facemask penalties, pass interference, 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.

That broader scope is exactly where the hesitation starts to make more sense, especially from someone like Art Rooney II. The more authority you centralize, the more you risk impacting the flow of the game.

For now, though, it remains just a proposal from the NFL competition committee. It has been sent to team owners for discussion. And while Rooney has already voiced his concerns, 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 with that, it’ll potentially usher in a new phase of how NFL games are officiated.