SmashMouth

The NFL has passed a new rule for this season that says any player who initiates contact with his helmets is subject to ejection after an in-game video review that will be decided in New York.

Al Riveron, the league's head of officiating, said a foul can be called regardless of where on the body -- not just the head or neck area -- that one player hits another with his helmet. The rule is not position-specific, so offensive players will be subject to the same criteria as defensive players.

"This is about eliminating unnecessary use of the helmet," Riveron said Tuesday at the NFL spring meetings.

If a player is ejected, Riveron and his staff in New York will use network camera angles to determine if the ejection is necessary. He promised that games will not become "an ejection fest" every week.

"Immediately when I learn in New York that there's an ejection, I will ask the network to give me everything you've got," Riveron said. "I will take a look at it, I will rule on it and I will say yes, he's ejected, (or) no, leave him in the game.

"Play will stop, and we will expedite it. That's why we won't have the referee come over and we're not going to get the replay official involved," Riveron said. "The only way the replay official will be involved is he will call it and immediately tell the command center, we have an ejection on 'No. 22 White.'"

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