Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

NFL might have replacement for 'chain gang' in coming seasons

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 2/29/24

The NFL could soon have a way to remove all doubt when it comes to spotting the football for first downs. League officials said on Thursday that they tested "optical tracking" in two different stadiums this season — MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami — as well as the Super Bowl as a way to have more accurate line-to-gain rulings.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on Thursday that the technology is not expected to be ready for the 2024 season, and a league vote would be required to put it into place, but it is a pretty clear sign that the league is looking for more technology to help get one of the most important calls on the field correct.

End of the chain gang? The NFL tested optical tracking in two stadiums and the Super Bowl last season for line to gain rulings, league officials said today.

The technology isn’t expected to be ready for rollout in 2024 and would require a vote. But the future is coming. pic.twitter.com/gSbBIpLNzH
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 29, 2024

If the league is able to implement that sort of technology with accuracy, it would render the "chain gang," the traditional way of measuring for first downs, as nothing more than a backup option.

Getting all of that technology into every NFL stadium — as well as international venues — would be quite the undertaking. If the technology is accurate, and the league is able to implement it, it would be a no-brainer decision.

Spotting the football and line-to-gain measurements can be some of the most impactful plays in any given game, and depending on the circumstances can have game-changing implications. Perhaps even season-changing. The process right now is an inexact science and leaves plenty of room for controversy and mistakes. This sort of tracking could eliminate all of that.

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