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NFL Will Consider Measuring First Downs Electronically in 2025 Regular Season
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For a century, the NFL has entrusted the tricky task of measuring first downs to the "chain gang"—a group that, as its name implies, handles the chains that demarcate 10-yard distances.
However, the crew's role may soon change thanks to technology.
The league is considering using an electronic system to measure first downs in the 2025 season, according to a Saturday evening report from Mark Maske of The Washington Post.
"The system, which the NFL has tested in game conditions in recent seasons, would involve the football being spotted manually by the on-field officials before the electronic system would determine whether that spot resulted in a first down," Maske wrote.
Crucially, according to Maske, the NFL would not use a chip in the ball to calibrate its spot—an advancement long-desired by fans.
The league experimented with tennis's revolutionary Hawk-Eye technology this past preseason, but opted not to use it in the regular season.
Discussions over the most effective means of spotting the ball have returned to the news in the past week after a coin-flip spot altered the complexion of the Kansas City Chiefs' 32–29 win over the Buffalo Bills in Sunday's AFC championship.
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Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .