‘We’ve been breaking that rule for eight years:’ NFL rule change leads to funny confession from one head coach

The NFL will be undergoing a slight rule change this year when it comes to coaching challenges. For the first time ever, each team’s head coach will be allowed to delegate the job of throwing the red challenge flag to someone else on the staff. 

Under the old rule, the head coach was in charge of throwing the flag, but there’s now some leeway. 

“The head coach or head coach’s pregame challenge designee can initiate a challenge by throwing a red flag onto the field of play before the next legal snap or kick,” the new rule states, via ESPN. 

The new rule isn’t new to the Bengals

The NFL might want to start calling this the “Zac Taylor” rule, because apparently, the Bengals head coach was already doing this. The Bengals hired Taylor in 2019, and during his first year on the job, he decided to let his chief of coaching staff, Doug Rosfeld, throw the flag. That’s how the team has handled things ever since. 

“We’ve been breaking that rule for eight years because I’ve never thrown a challenge flag,” Taylor said during his press conference Tuesday. 

According to Taylor, he let the officiating crew know before each game that Rosfeld would throw the challenge flag, and no one ever took issue with that. 

“They ask you that in pregame, who’s got the flag,” Taylor said. “It’s never been an issue. I didn’t even know it was frowned upon. I know there’s other coaches in the league, I’m not the only one who’s done that. I saw they implemented a new rule, so maybe we’ll get a retroactive fine or something.”

Although head coaches can now designate someone else to throw the challenge flag, most will likely stick to the routine they know. For Taylor, that means he won’t be throwing the flag, and he explained why during his press conference. 

“It’s easier for me [not to be in charge of it].”

The Bengals coach said after an offensive series, he’ll sometimes be talking to Joe Burrow or other offensive players. When he’s doing that, he can’t see everything happening on the field. That’s where Rosfeld comes in. As Taylor’s right-hand man, he’s watching the field at all times. 

Although Rosfeld holds the challenge flag, Taylor is always nearby if a situation comes up where the team might have to throw it. 

“They always made it clear to me that I have to be next to Doug,” Taylor said. “I guess if we ever need to sneak one by them when I was back there [talking to Joe] and they couldn’t get me in the headset, Doug could have done it, but that’s never come up. It’s just part of our routine now. I feel better with Doug having it.”

After throwing the flag for so long, Rosfeld is apparently on top of his game. 

“He’s on it,” Taylor said. “He’s paranoid. He doesn’t want to miss it. I’ve yelled at him plenty of times.”

In 2019, Rosfeld explained how he handles each challenge. 

“When that situation arises, I move toward the referees,” Rosfeld told The Athletic. “I make sure I get to know them before the game and know their names and make sure they know that I have the flag so that I can quickly get it down on the ground in front of them.”

The Bengals’ system seems to be working, because the team won five challenges last season, tied for the third-most in the NFL. 

The NFL is now implementing a rule the Bengals have essentially been using since 2019, and it will be interesting to see how many other coaches end up letting someone else throw the flag.