How a new NFL replay rule would have changed Super Bowl LX
The league is considering allowing replay officials to throw flags, and one heated Super Bowl moment between the Seahawks and Patriots shows why.
When the NFL competition committee meets during Combine week, most conversations stay inside conference rooms. But one idea now under discussion could have altered the outcome, or at least the tension, of Super Bowl LX.
The Stefon Diggs incident that sparked NFL replay debate
League officials are debating whether to allow replay officials to throw flags for specific penalties, particularly so-called “non-football acts” that go uncalled on the field. And one of the examples cited involves a fourth-quarter sideline altercation during the Super Bowl.
Late in the game, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe grabbed each other’s facemasks near the sideline. Moments later, Jobe appeared to throw a punch at Diggs’ helmet. No penalty flag was thrown.
Josh Jobe shoves Stefon Diggs out of bounds, and things get heated.
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) February 9, 2026
OMG 😳 pic.twitter.com/QpzecLD4b0
Under the proposal being discussed this week, that moment might not have gone unpunished.
What would have happened?
If replay officials were granted authority to intervene on non-football actsm such as punches or other unsportsmanlike conduct, the on-site replay official could have thrown a flag after reviewing the incident.
That could have resulted in:
- A 15-yard penalty
- A possible ejection
- A major shift in field position
- A change in late-game momentum
Even if the score remained unchanged, the optics would have been different. Instead of a heated moment fading into replay review discussions the next day, the penalty would have been enforced in real time before the next snap.
Why the NFL is considering it
NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said the league does not want to “open Pandora’s box” by broadly expanding replay authority. But restricting intervention to clear non-football acts - punches, kicks, or stepping on opponents - could be a starting point.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork at the Combine: When it comes to the use of technology and officiating, the NFL is embracing the future. pic.twitter.com/H6Cao4Q4D2
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 24, 2026
The Super Bowl incident wasn’t the only example cited. A separate 2025 regular-season play involving unnecessary roughness led to a suspension, even though no flag was thrown during the game. The gap between what fans see on broadcast replays and what officials call in real time has become increasingly scrutinized.
Owners have historically resisted giving replay officials the power to throw flags, concerned about undermining on-field referees and disrupting game flow. But high-profile moments like the one in the Super Bowl have a way of accelerating rules conversations.
If the proposal moves forward, it would mark one of the most significant officiating adjustments in recent years. And it would ensure that future championship games are less likely to hinge on actions that go unpenalized simply because they happened away from the ball.
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