Football is a game of inches, and seasons can be won – or lost – on a referee’s placement of the ball during crucial drives. It’s not an exact science.
The NFL’s Competition Committee on technology will consider implementing AI in the process. It is not likely that it will take as long as instant replay did. That was first tested during the 1978 preseason, but wasn’t used until the 1986 regular season. It was rescinded in 1992, primarily because it took too long. The technology vastly improved over the next several years and it was brought back in 1999, according to the NFL.
That AI is being studied for use is little consolation for Buffalo Bills fans. They will once again enter another long off-season replaying the what-ifs. In the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 26, 2025, their team faced the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. On a pivotal fourth-and-inches play, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen pushed forward and, to many spectators, appeared to have reached the “line to gain” marker. But the officials ruled him short, by the width of an index card or two, handing Kansas City possession and all but ending Buffalo’s Super Bowl hopes. The loss ignited a wave of conspiracy theories that the refs, and the NFL, wanted Kansas City to win.
Questionable ball placements have been a recurring theme this season, and as Super Bowl LIX approaches, doubt lingers about the process. When the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles take the field at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, will the biggest game of the year once again hinge on an official’s judgement call? When do questionable calls begin to impugn the integrity of the league, or has that already happened?
AI is being used in soccer. Top European leagues have been taking advantage of it for years. Teams are using it to recruit and coach, and for fitness and physical therapy. Leagues also use Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to help referees determine whether a player is offsides. The VAR system superimposes a transparent vertical plane to show the line of demarcation. The location of the player on the “pitch” is scrutinized at the moment in question, to ascertain whether any body part has breached the plane.
Tennis utilizes an AI-powered tool — the Hawk-Eye system, to tracking the ball and determine whether a serve or return is in. The NFL tested out the Hawk-Eye system this preseason, and is planning to do so again next season. The system relies on as many as 60 high-resolution cameras to capture all angles, and can pinpoint the location of the ball. There are cameras along the goal line and perimeters of the playing field to help officials determine whether a player was in- or out-of-bounds.
“Sony’s Hawk-Eye tracking services will be utilized to further enhance the accuracy of game-critical items like line-to-gain measurement,” the company stated on a press release. “Additionally, Sony’s Beyond Sports and its expertise in real-time visualization provides an opportunity to help engage the next generation of NFL fans.”
The system would indicate to the officials if the line-to-gain has been reached, but only after the official has spotted the ball by hand. There is currently no plan to use a microchip inside the ball to work in conjunction with the Hawk-Eye system, although such a combination may be the logical next step.
In a joint statement about the partnership, Gary Brantley, chief information officer at the NFL, said, “Building upon a long-established relationship, the NFL looks forward to embracing prominent industry leader, Sony, as an official technology partner. Advancing technology on and off the field is a top priority for the NFL, and this partnership will fortify Sony’s role in the NFL’s ever-growing technology ecosystem, elevating various dimensions of our sport and bringing fans closer to game-day action. From broadening Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology within the game to utilizing Sony’s suite of advanced imaging products, to the deployment of new coaches’ headsets in 2025, the NFL will harness Sony’s expertise to drive innovation and further solidify the league’s status as a premier sports organization.”
The NFL’s current system to keep track of yardage is downright ancient compared to AI. The league has relied on the “chain gang” for measurement. If the NFL decides to go with AI down the road, that system would still be on the sidelines as a backup.
According to the NFL’s Football Operations Department, officials still get it right almost always. In 2023, there were more than 43,000 plays, and each one was reviewed meticulously by the Operations Department to review every officials’ performance. A total of 121 officials posted an accuracy rate of 98.9%. There are typically seven officials working a game.
“Each game averages about 153 plays, so a typical official who works 14 regular-season games is evaluated on nearly 2,200 plays in a single season. The Officiating Department reviews game footage looking for the calls that were made correctly — and also the ones that were missed. There is nowhere to hide on the football field. Whether working a closely contested Super Bowl or the final minutes of a preseason game, officials are expected to exhibit the same high level of excellence on every play. They are carefully selected, extensively prepared and rigorously evaluated to ensure that they call games correctly and consistently. This process results in the outstanding officiating that players, coaches and fans expect and deserve. Officiating an NFL game — making split-second decisions at full speed and at field level — takes decades of work and dedication. While fans may not always agree with every call, one thing is certain: These officials are good.”
