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A couple of days ago, ESPN reported that at the NFL Owner's Meetings, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was upset about the fact that the league was pushing aside his proposal to add more replay review cameras in NFL stadiums, particularly at the goal line:
The source said Belichick expressed concern that the league is willing to spend top dollar to send the Pro Bowl to Brazil and play regular-season games in London every season but doesn't appear willing to spend the money to pay for the extra cameras it would take to cover all end zone angles to assist instant replay.
It looks like Belichick's rant at the league meetings might have paid off, though. Albert Breer of NFL.com says that the league is now going to start investigating the proposal, and that it could be on the table for discussion at the next league meetings in May:
The NFL will start research and development on Monday into Bill Belichick's idea to add cameras to the goal line and other areas for replay.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 28, 2015
NFL looking for "the right technology and then how to best integrate the cameras into the replay system that will work in all 31 stadiums."
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 28, 2015
I think the league makes so much money that they should be as technology-advanced as possible. Fixed cameras at the goal line pretty much already exist on plays that begin near the goal line, but those catch-and-run plays where the player gets tripped up at the one and dives forward could use a fixed camera across the goal line for more accuracy. Where the cameras still would not help would be in the pileups at the goal line, where the ball-carrier and the ball get lost among other players.
As far as the other areas Belichick wants to add cameras, that includes the sideline and endline. The more looks we can get at a play, the better, right?