One of the issues in NFL football that I think needs to be seriously evaluated is the penalty for a pass interference call. As a fan of both college football and NFL football, I find myself very aggravated by the pass interference penalty in the NFL compared to college football.

In college football, the penalty for pass interference is a first down at the spot of the penalty for interference within 15 yards of the last spot. If the penalty takes place further than 15 yards, the team is awarded a first down 15 yards advanced from the previous spot. In the NFL, the defensive pass interference penalty is a first down at the spot of the foul from anywhere on the field. If the penalty takes place in the endzone, the team is awarded a first down at the one yard line.

The major issue I have with the NFL pass interference penalty is that it is too harsh for such a subjective call. In the NFL, one pass interference call can change the game.  Here is one example of a questionable pass interference call that brought the Patriots to the one yard line and allowed for a victory over the Browns.

There are many similar examples throughout the NFL over the past few years. This particular incident raises the question of bias by the referees.  If instead of Tom Brady, Geno Smith had thrown that ball would the same call have been made?  Do referees see a questionable play on someone like A.J. Green and give him the benefit of the doubt compared to other young unproven receivers? Will members of the new famous cornerback core like Richard Sherman get the benefit of the doubt in a questionable play? Surely, there are some pass interference calls that are more obvious than others, why are they all treated the same?

The college rule has its issues but more often than not I feel the penalty reflects the crime. The major issue in college sports is that it essentially allows the defense to ruin “long bomb” opportunites by offenses by hacking wide receivers who have beaten their defender without much penalty.

My recommendation is a merging of the two rules. For many run of the mill pass interference calls where the defense has not egregiously disrupted play, the college rule would be used.  However, for blatant and purposeful hacking to save a touchdown, the NFL rule would be used. I believe that this change will restrict pass interference penalties from having the game changing effect they currently seem to have in the NFL.  A similar type of enforcement of a rule has recently been installed in the NBA for the clear path foul for breakaways. More detailed study on the effect of pass interference calls on the success of any given drive would help to fully understand the problem and have the data to back it up.

For another opinion on the pass interference rule see Bill Barnwell’s article from 2011