NFL Keeping First-Down Chains After Preseason Tech Test

The supreme authority of the NFL’s chain crews won’t be replaced just yet.

The league tested out electronic first-down tracking technology during the preseason, and it had left the door open to use the system in the regular season. But the NFL has decided it won’t move forward with an electronic tracker this year, according to The Washington Post. The system will make it to the regular season next year at the earliest, the outlet reported.

The system struggled at times during the preseason, leading to griping about lengthy delays; a Lions-Giants game was held up for multiple minutes for an obvious call.

When the NFL does move to the electronic system, the human element will still persist. Refs will still manually spot the ball, but the optical tracking system will alert them when a first down is achieved. The chains are set to continue as a backup on the sidelines whenever the camera system is finally implemented.

The first-down tracking system was quietly tested in a few games last season, including the Super Bowl, before more testing in this year’s preseason. The technology uses lasers and tracking cameras to determine the exact location of the football, and displays a simple graphic on the stadium’s video board showing whether the play earned a first down, similar to tennis’s Hawk-Eye.

The NFL first announced its use of the technology in February, and, while saying it might be ready by the fall, league EVP of football operations Troy Vincent said 2025 would be more realistic.