NFL reportedly could discuss making change after Vikings-Rams face-mask controversy

After a clear miss of a defensive penalty robbed the Minnesota Vikings of a chance to complete what would've been a remarkable game-tying drive late in Thursday night's contest at the Los Angeles Rams, multiple members of the NFL community suggested the league should at least consider making face-mask penalties subject to replay review.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, league owners could discuss the topic this winter. 

"It’s likely that face mask will come up this offseason," chief NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Florio Friday. 

On Friday afternoon, The Athletic's Jacob Robinson and Dianna Russini mentioned how a missed face-mask "played a crucial part" in the Atlanta Falcons earning a come-from-behind win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 of the ongoing season. Robinson and Russini argued the league has millions, if not billions, of reasons to alter what can and cannot be reviewed via video replay as soon as possible. 

"With fans estimated to wager $35B on NFL games this year, we can wait a few minutes [or seconds] for a face-mask review in a scoring situation," Robinson and Russini wrote. "The referees' egos will survive. And with players risking their health on every play, the 'human element' is never removed."

Additionally, media insider Jimmy Traina of Sports Illustrated shared how Thursday's events predictably sparked conspiracy theories among fans posting on social media about the NFL allegedly wanting certain games "fixed." Some may scoff at such takes, but people who wager on player performances and contest outcomes see little humor in the league, letting massive mistakes impact bets. 

The NFL has business relationships with multiple sportsbooks and features ads for gambling companies during every game that airs via its media partners. Neither the league nor those sportsbooks want potential bettors to think for even a second that anything about the action is predetermined. 

"Instant replay and what plays should and should not be reviewable is part of the conversation every offseason, and it’s anticipated it will come up again," McCarthy continued. "Teams may propose a rule change and there have previously been a variety of proposals on which plays or if all plays should be reviewable."

Fans, along with some individuals associated with NFL teams, hope such conversations lead to a significant rule change that is announced before preseason games get underway in August 2025.