Proposals to Add Tenths-of-a-Second Readouts on NFL Stadium Clocks Have Not Materialized

Given the surprising result of Saturday’s Western Michigan versus Michigan game, it is logical to explore all possible ways to prevent such outcomes, whether at the collegiate or professional level.

Under current NFL rules, a review of the clock would not have been permitted because a replay is only allowed when at least two seconds remain on the clock.

Additionally, an extra snap for the Wolverines would have been disallowed, since former NFL senior vice president of officiating Mike Pereira told The Athletic that the league’s protocol requires using the publicly visible stadium clock rather than a separate clock shown only during replay review.

Pereira told The Athletic that when there is a discrepancy between the video feed and the footage visible to everyone, the replay should use the television broadcast feed — a protocol used uniformly in the NFL and the UFL.

Another possible safeguard would be to equip clocks with tenth‑second precision when the time falls below one minute, applicable at both the collegiate and professional levels.

The Philadelphia Eagles floated this idea twice — first in 2023 and again in 2024. Both attempts were unsuccessful; in 2023, many stadium clocks lacked tenth‑second capability, and teams were reluctant to fund the necessary upgrades. The 2024 proposal likewise did not succeed.

The adage ‘pennywise, pound foolish’ applies: should the NFL face a scandal akin to the Michigan controversy, its owners may regret not investing in upgraded clocks.

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