1999 NFL season

The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season. Also, the Tennessee Oilers changed its name to Tennessee Titans, and the league retired the name "Oilers" - a first in league history.

Major rule changes

• Clipping is now illegal around the line of scrimmage just as it is on the rest of the field.
• A new instant replay system (different from the one used from 1986 to 1991) is adopted to aid officiating:
• In each game, each team has two challenges that will start a review. Each challenge will require the use of a team's timeout. If the challenge is successful, the timeout is restored.
• Inside of two minutes of each half, all reviews will be initiated by a Replay Assistant. The Replay Assistant has an unlimited number of reviews, regardless of how many timeouts each team has left. And no timeout will be charged for any review by the Replay Assistant.
• All replay reviews will be conducted by the referee on a field-level monitor. A decision will be reversed only when there is indisputable visual evidence to overturn the call. The referee has 90 seconds to review the play.
• The officials will be notified of a replay request or challenge via a specialized electronic pager with a vibrating alert. Each head coach would also have a red flag to use as a backup to get the attention of the officials to challenge a play.
• The replay system will only cover the following situations:
• Scoring plays
• Pass complete/incomplete/intercepted
• Runner/receiver out of bounds
• Recovery of a loose ball in or out of bounds
• Touching of a forward pass, either by an ineligible receiver or a defensive player
• Quarterback pass or fumble
• Illegal forward pass
• Forward or backward pass
• Runner ruled not down by contact
• Forward progress in regards to a first down
• Touching of a kick
• Too many men on the field