Mike Pereira and Moose Johnston’s NFL Replay Review Cheat Sheet for 2025

Contents

Penalties That Replay Can Confirm Through Review or Assist Flags Replay Can Pickup Through Assist/Review Flags Replay Can Pick up Only Through Assist Replay Booth Jurisdiction Only for a Review Coaches Challenge

Mike Pereira

NFL & College Football Rules Expert

Daryl Johnston

Analyst, FOX NFL

The tentacles of instant replay are growing and will be affecting the NFL more this season.

Starting this season, replay is going to be used to help confirm or overturn flags that are thrown on the field. Some can be challenged by coaches, but others can only be looked at if the replay booth decides it’s necessary.

Here’s a breakdown of how replay review has been expanded heading into the 2025 season.

Information below provided by the NFL.

Penalties That Replay Can Confirm Through Review or Assist

The above penalties can also be challenged by coaches.

Defense too many men on the field
Offense too many men on the field
Illegal forward handoff
Illegal forward pass
Illegal punt
Illegal touching of a kick
Illegal touching of a pass
Landing zone
Kickoff out of bounds

Referee Ron Torbert and other NFL officials will get more help from the replay booth, beginning with the 2025 regular season. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Flags Replay Can Pickup Through Assist/Review

Coaches can challenge reviewable aspects of these penalties.

Defensive pass interference (whether the ball was tipped)
Defense too many on the field
Offense too many on the field
Illegal forward handoff
Illegal forward pass
Illegal touching of a kick
Illegal touching of a pass
Kickoff out of bounds
Landing zone
Offensive pass interference (whether the ball was tipped)
Offensive pass interference (spot of foul)
Defensive pass interference (spot of foul)

Flags Replay Can Pick up Only Through Assist

The following penalties cannot be challenged by coaches.

Ineligible downfield kick
Ineligible downfield player (on a pass play)
Roughing the passer (hits to the head or neck area)
Unnecessary roughness (on plays on the sideline)
Illegal contact
Intentional grounding
Tripping
Facemask
Unnecssary roughness (on hits to the head or neck area)
Horse collar

Horse collar tackles will be reviewable in the NFL starting in 2025. (Mike Christy/Getty Images)

Replay Booth Jurisdiction Only for a Review

These fouls cannot be challenged by coaches, and all reviews will come from the replay booth.

All try attempts
Disqualifications
Fourth down failure to convert
Overtime
Scoring plays
Turnovers
Last 2 minutes of a half

Coaches Challenge

A coach can challenge the following as long as it isn’t listed in any of the lists above.

Plays involving possession
Plays involving touching of the ground or ball
Played governed by:The goal lineThe boundary lineThe line of scrimmageThe line to gain
The goal line
The boundary line
The line of scrimmage
The line to gain
Number of players on the field
Game administrationPenalty enforcementProper downSpot of a foulStatus of the game clock
Penalty enforcement
Proper down
Spot of a foul
Status of the game clock
Ball touching a foreign object
Direction of a pass
Unsuccessful FG attempt