The way NFL first downs are determined has changed forever. For the first 105 years of league history, the eye test ruled supreme. The ref spots the ball where he thinks the play ended and if a first down was called into question, the chain gang would jog out onto the field and measure.
In rare cases, a notecard was the tool to make final determinations. Now, the league is going virtual. As shared by CBS Sports’ reporter Jonathan Jones, the league will electronically determine first downs beginning in 2025.
The NFL plans to recommend the use of virtual measurement as the primary way to determine first downs beginning in the 2025 regular season.