NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL to test out new line-to-gain technology during preseason

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Jul 31, 2024 3:17 PM ET

Altering the kickoff rules isn’t the only thing the NFL is toying around with this offseason.

Beginning in the preseason, the league will be experimenting with Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology replacing “the chain gang” in select games to measure the line to gain, according to the Associated Press.

“We're in the installation phase for all of our stadiums, really getting them calibrated and up to date,” NFL senior VP and chief information officer Gary Brantley said. “We're just really getting to a place where this system is as accurate as possible and really calibrating across our multiple stadiums. ... We have multiple stadiums with multiple dimensions inside of those stadiums with different age. So, we're really just going through the installation of putting in the infrastructure and making sure these cameras are installed.”

We are very proud to announce that Sony is now a technology partner of the @NFL and the new official headphones of the NFL! Through this partnership, Sony and the NFL will be working collaboratively with coaches, players, teams, and leadership across the organization #SonyXNFL pic.twitter.com/yi05WiRLOj
— Hawk-Eye Innovations (@Hawkeye_view) July 31, 2024

The Sony technology, which immediately notifies officials if a first down is gained after it's spotted by hand, likely won’t be fully developed enough for use during the 2024 regular season but is expected to be a full-go for 2025.

The Hawk-Eye system implements cameras in NFL stadiums to track the ball, players and officials and is said to cut a significant amount of time from each game that is typically used to measure first downs or on ball-spot challenges.

“We're reducing a significant amount of time, 40 seconds for each time of use that basically is making the game that much more impactful,” Sony president and COO Neal Manowitz said. “And then also the system is accurate down to less than half an inch, which is incredibly, incredibly accurate. Hopefully the fans appreciate the objective view, or at least half the fans each play will be appreciating it.”

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

More must-reads: