Rule Tweak: Designee Can Throw Challenge Flag
NFL tweaks rules to allow coach’s designee to initiate replay challenges
The NFL will allow its 32 head coaches to designate a member of their staff to initiate replay challenges this season, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.
The head coach had been the only member of a team who could throw the red flag to challenge a play.
Beginning this season, a member of the staff can take on that assignment from the head coach. But teams will be required to inform officials of that before the start of a game.
The NFL did not announce the change at its annual meeting, but the tweak to the challenge system did not require votes from ownership.
Rule 15, Section 1, Article 1(a) now reads: “The head coach or head coach’s pregame challenge designee can initiate a challenge by throwing a red flag onto the field of play before the next legal snap or kick.”
Coaches challenged 151 plays in 2025, the highest total since 2019.
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I like this. The HC has enough shit going on, if he can delegate this to someone on the staff it probably would be helpful. That person can focus 100% on the play while the HC (or offensive playcaller which would be the case with KOC) can immediately move on to the next play if a red flag is not thrown for review during that consideration process.
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