Cleveland Browns: What constitutes a first down?

How first downs are really measured

One more time: Never bring the chains out to measure a first down. Avoid this at all costs.

But, it happens. We see the chain gang run out there to measure the ball to see if the line to gain has been reached. But with all these measures in place, the measuring of a first down remains one of the most controversial issues.

The problem, as I can tell (and I am hoping the NFL officiating committee can issue a statement to correct me here), is that there is no standard by which the chains are officially calibrated. Is the first down gained by reaching the end of the chain? Does it have to go past the clip which connects the chain to the stick? Does it have to reach the stick to be considered a first down?

All these questions seem to be left unanswered. Unanswered questions result in officials having to make judgment calls. So let’s look at how the officials are supposed to ensure the chains are accurately ten yards.

Sadly to say, there is no official NFL instruction that I can access or find that tells the officials how to ensure the chain is exactly 10 yards. Nor can I find any instruction on a standard by which to declare a first down (the chain, the clip, or the stick). But I did find an instructional video covering the subject. The relevant information can be found starting at 2:34.

This video creates more questions than it answers. Apparently chains come in all lengths and sizes. It is up to the official to measure the chain before a game to make sure it is actually 10 yards. If the field is misaligned, then there is no standard to measure the chain again (I actually coached a game where the field was misaligned). Again, I am hoping the NFL will clarify their process on this for us.

Then once the length is confirmed, there is no instruction on how to read or interpret when the ball reaches the line to gain. Does it reach the line to gain at the end of the chain or when it gets half way through the stick?

Just eyeballing the video, the stakes are about 10 yards and 1 inch apart. Where does the official determine where the line to gain actually sits (if not already on a clearly defined yard line)? There is no instruction as to how to determine this.

One can only conclude that the actual 10-yard mark is different on every set of chains. It is up to the official to determine whether or not the length of the chains is correct or not. It is also up to the official to determine where exactly on the chain a first down is gained. This means any given game could have a chain that marks the first down at the end of the chain, the clip, or the stick itself. Only the officials know what the correct position is.

Combine this undefined aspect of football with camera angles and the NFL has a recipe for controversy. How can an announcer, fan, or worse yet, an official know if the ball has reached the line to gain when there seems to be no objective standard by which to establish the line to gain on the sticks?

One can see why the officials never want to bring the chains out to measure. And why they would go to great lengths to avoid a measurement. As fans, we can only hope the NFL has a better process they are simply not sharing with the public. My guess is, there is not.