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BEREA - Dwayne Rudd's helmet gaffe in last season's opener cost the Browns a win.
If the same play happens this year, though, it won't affect the outcome.
The NFL has changed the way the penalty for a player removing his helmet is enforced. Now, the penalty is considered a dead-ball foul and enforced after the play.
That means if the penalty comes on the last play of the game, it would not be marked off; the game would be over.
``If we have a penalty after time has expired, we have no place to enforce that now,'' said referee Walt Anderson, who was working the Browns practices against the Bills. ``It happened during a live play, but it is now a foul that by rule is enforced after the ball is dead.''
The call was officiated correctly last season, Anderson said. Referee Ron Blum marked off half the distance to the goal, then allowed Kansas City an untimed down.
Anderson said the change came from the competition committee, which apparently decided that the penalty for Rudd's helmet toss did not fit the crime. Memos on the change were sent to officials in May, Anderson said.
If the same play happens this year, though, it won't affect the outcome.
The NFL has changed the way the penalty for a player removing his helmet is enforced. Now, the penalty is considered a dead-ball foul and enforced after the play.
That means if the penalty comes on the last play of the game, it would not be marked off; the game would be over.
``If we have a penalty after time has expired, we have no place to enforce that now,'' said referee Walt Anderson, who was working the Browns practices against the Bills. ``It happened during a live play, but it is now a foul that by rule is enforced after the ball is dead.''
The call was officiated correctly last season, Anderson said. Referee Ron Blum marked off half the distance to the goal, then allowed Kansas City an untimed down.
Anderson said the change came from the competition committee, which apparently decided that the penalty for Rudd's helmet toss did not fit the crime. Memos on the change were sent to officials in May, Anderson said.
