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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

NFL notes: Refs to use hand signal for ineligible receiver at Super Bowl

Associated Press

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Thursday the referees will use hand signals to indicate clearly when normally eligible receivers check in the Super Bowl as ineligible, a technique the Patriots have used in the postseason.

Carroll spoke about conversations he had with league officials after Seattle and New England reached the Super Bowl to get an understanding how those players would be identified.

The practice is particularly confusing for defenders when an eligible receiver reports as ineligible to catch a pass.

Carroll said the referees in the Super Bowl will have hand signals to clarify players’ eligibility.

A normally eligible receiver reporting ineligible will be identified by being pointed at and the referee waving his arms in front of his legs like for an incomplete pass.

Well-inspected footballs

NFL officiating chief Dean Blandino says the inspection of the footballs by referee Walt Anderson before the AFC championship game was handled properly.

Blandino also said the process of inspecting the balls and security surrounding the inspections will be enhanced for Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Around the league

The Detroit Lions, feeling burned by a non-interference call in a playoff loss to Dallas, already have proposed expanding the use of instant replay for coaches’ challenges. … The San Francisco 49ers accounted Tom Gamble is returning as a senior personnel executive. … Tom Brady expects his cold to be gone in time for the Super Bowl, despite still sounding congested.