The annual NFL meeting includes voting on rule changes that will transform how the game is played and officiated.
One decision, in particular, is set to revolutionize a fundamental aspect of the sport that’s remained largely unchanged for decades.
After years of debate and technological development, the NFL is finally embracing a modernization that players, coaches and fans have long called for, bidding farewell to one of the game’s most iconic but outdated traditions.
“The method for measuring first downs in the NFL will switch from chain gangs to camera-based technology in 2025, the league announced. The traditional chain crew will remain on the sidelines in a secondary capacity,” NFL on ESPN wrote on X.
Breaking: The method for measuring first downs in the NFL will switch from chain gangs to camera-based technology in 2025, the league announced.
The traditional chain crew will remain on the sidelines in a secondary capacity. pic.twitter.com/7UuXMV1Fdx
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 1, 2025
This groundbreaking shift will be powered by Hawk-Eye technology, a sophisticated system that employs cameras to track the football’s precise position on the field.
The technology not only promises enhanced accuracy in determining first downs but will accelerate the often cumbersome measurement process.
During extensive testing last season, officials found that measuring that typically consumed up to a minute could now be completed in about 30 seconds.
Compared to the traditional chain measurement, the new system saves approximately 40 seconds per use.
The technology will be implemented in every NFL stadium as well as at international venues, with data processing occurring in real time at the centralized officiating headquarters in New York.
This technological upgrade gained significant momentum following a controversial ruling in the AFC Championship Game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, when a key fourth-down play left many fans questioning the reliability of the traditional chain measurement system.
While the iconic chain crews won’t disappear entirely, the 2025 season will mark the beginning of a new era in NFL officiating, with technology taking over one of football’s most fundamental calls.
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