Jerry Jones won’t have to pay to have his massive video screens lifted in the Cowboys’ new stadium. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ruled Friday, after speaking with the Competition Committee, on how the rules will operate in instances when the ball strikes the boards above the field of play.

All of this relates to the 2009 season, and this issue is likely to be taken up again in the offseason.

Okay, here goes:

If the ball strikes the board, the ball is dead and teams must replay the down. The replay assistant is now empowered to initiate booth review if on-field refs don’t see it. Coaches can also challenge whether or not the ball struck the board (within the normal window to do so).

When the down is replayed, the clock goes back to original time and all penalties are disregarded, except for personal fouls prior to the replaying of the down.

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