Introduced as a measure that will result in more ejections or suspensions, the reality is that the NFL’s new emphasis on eliminating certain “egregious” hits from the game will lead to enhanced suspensions.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the point of emphasis will apply to suspending the player who commits an egregious hit, even if it’s only a first offense. Game officials retain the ability to eject players for flagrant hits, but the Competition Committee prefers that suspensions be used instead, since mistakes will be less likely if the decision is made after a given game. A split-second decision by an official during a game is more likely to be wrong.
Also, the source said replay review will not be available to determine whether a hit was or wasn’t egregious. This will make officials even less likely to throw a player out for a hit that can be addressed by the league office after the game.
It’s a smart approach, given that officials already prefer not to eject players, for fear of impacting the outcome of the game. Focusing on suspensions permits for a more deliberate approach by everyone involved -- and it also gives the player who is suspended a fair chance to appeal the process.