Rule 17, Part 2, Article three grants commissioner Goodell energy to reverse the sport’s end result.
The NFL has admitted that their ficials completely blew it through the Saints last drive regulation within the NFC Championship recreation, by which Rams defensive again Nickell Robey-Coleman ought to have been flagged for go interference, or a helmet-to-helmet hit.
That stated, the league’s admission doesn’t change the truth that the Saints had been compelled to kick a discipline aim with a lot time remaining, permitting the Rams to go on and win in time beyond regulation by the ultimate 26-23.
Nonetheless, in line with “Rule 17 Part 2 Article three,” as tweeted out by Saints large receiver Michael Thomas, the NFL rulebook really permits the league to reverse an final result a recreation affected by “unfair acts.”
The rule tweeted out by Thomas reads:
“The Commissioner’s powers beneath this Part 2 embody the imposition financial fines and draft-choice forfeitures, suspension individuals concerned in unfair acts, and, if applicable, the reversal a recreation’s end result or the rescheduling a recreation, both from the start or from the purpose at which the extraordinary act occurred. Within the occasion rescheduling a recreation, the Commissioner can be guided by the procedures laid out in 17-1-5–11, above. In all circumstances, the Commissioner will conduct a full investigation, together with the chance for hearings, use recreation video, and every other process the Commissioner deems applicable.”
The league has by no means used that rule to reverse the end result a recreation and it is nearly sure they will not achieve this now. As a substitute, the Saints will simply obtain a public apology from the NFL and groups will seemingly be granted the power to problem such calls transferring ahead.