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09/07 11:47 CDT NFL again tweaks positioning of umpires
NFL again tweaks positioning of umpires
By The Associated Press The NFL has tweaked its rule regarding where umpires will line up. Again. The league sent all 32 teams a memo Tuesday explaining the changes. The umpire will now be 12 yards from the offense's line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. Originally, it was 15. The head linesman or line judge then signals when a snap can occur. Previously, quarterbacks had to check with the referee. Umpires will move to the middle of the defense during the final two minutes of the first half, the final five minutes of the game and when a team is at or inside an opponent's 5-yard line. In March, the league cited safety in moving umpires from the middle of the defense to behind the deepest running back.
