Replay decisions will be made in New York

PHOENIX (AP) — One day after approving the Oakland Raiders' move to Las Vegas, NFL owners got busy passing several rules changes and adopting resolutions they believe will speed the game and enhance player safety.

Most notable Tuesday was the change in handling officiating of video replays. Referees will now watch replays on the field using Surface tablets, eliminating “going under the hood” to watch on television monitors.

League officiating chief Dean Blandino and his staff in New York will make the final decisions on those calls, with input from the referee, who in the past was the ultimate arbiter after consulting with league headquarters.

“And I think that's important to remember, we're not taking the referee out of the equation,” Blandino has said. “The referee will still be involved, the referee will still give input, but will no longer have the final say.”

Also at the league meetings owners extended bringing touchbacks out to the 25-yard line for another year; eliminating “leapers” trying to block field goals or extra points; added protections for defenseless receivers running their routes; and made permanent the rule disqualifying a player who is penalized twice in a game for specific unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.

A proposal to cut overtime in the regular season from 15 minutes to 10 was tabled for more study and likely will be brought back at the May meetings in Chicago.

Also tabled was eliminating the mandatory summer cutdown to 75 players, which would leave only one cut at the end of preseason.

Voted down were suggestions to permit coaches to challenge any officials' decisions other than scoring plays and turnovers, which automatically are reviewed.

Other actions taken Tuesday included:

—Crackback blocks by a backfield player who goes in motion are now banned.

—Creating an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for committing multiple fouls during the same down with the purpose of manipulating the game clock.

—Allowing teams to interview or hire an employee of another team during the season if the other team consents.