Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, is hoping to evolve the league further with technology.
According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL revealed that it is testing a new electronic system for measuring first downs.
For a possible vote, the NFL owners, including Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons, will get information from the league.
To determine if a player crossed the line to gain, the technology would take the place of first-down chains. It’s unlikely that the modification will occur before the 2024 season.
With Next Gen Stats technology deployed in every NFL stadium, tracking the ball is already possible. The shoulder pads of the players already have radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags inserted into them. Additional tags are found on the officials, sticks, pylons, chains, and ball.
The NFL noted that at games in Miami, East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, it had already tested the use of optical tracking cameras to measure first downs. The computer vision system used in tennis to help with video replays, Hawk-Eye, is the company behind the technology.
According to Troy Vincent, the executive vice president of football operations for the NFL, 2025 is a reasonable goal for the new system.
While some think it’s out of date to use chains to measure such an important aspect of the game, others would rather that referees make the call manually.
This week, the NFLPA presented report cards for all 32 teams. Blank received a good score of A-, placing him ninth in the league.
Atlanta’s current focus is on Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft. The Falcons are watching and interviewing prospects at the NFL Combine this weekend with the goal of strengthening a few key position groups, namely quarterback, edge rusher, and receiver, with a first-round draft selection in their pocket.
Caleb Williams of USC, Drake Maye of North Carolina, Jayden Daniels of LSU, Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, and Spencer Rattler of South Carolina all confirmed their meetings with the Falcons.