Perhaps the biggest change of the 2019 season will be the rule regarding pass interference and challenges. For the upcoming season, teams may not challenge pass interference, both called and uncalled during the first 28 minutes of each half. In the final two minutes, it will be a booth challenge.
This is a rule change Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden is very much on board with. Haden spoke on NFL Total Access and said he supported the idea of using instant replay to try to get interference calls correct.
Haden was on the wrong end of a horrible defensive pass interference call last season. Against the New Orleans Saints, the Steelers defense has stalled the New Orleans offense. On fourth-and-one, Drew Brees decides to just chuck it 40 yards to the end zone to running back Alvin Kamara.
The throw goes over Kamara’s head but the officials call a phantom pass interference on Haden. This gives the Saints the football at the goal line and they get an easy touchdown on the way to a close win. The repercussions of that loss were devastating to Pittsburgh, all on an inept official.
Under the new rule, Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin would have been able to review that play. Presumably, the replay officials would have reversed the penalty and the Steelers would have gotten the football near midfield. Let’s hope this rule only works in the Steelers’ favor this season.
