1988 NAFL season (Jayverse)

The 1988 NAFL season was the 29th Regular Season of the North American Football League.

This season marked the final coaching season for the legendary Tom Landry.

Major rule changes

 * A standard system of two time intervals between plays are established (and would be timed using the play clock): For normal plays, the offensive team has 45 seconds to snap the ball after the previous play is signaled dead. After time outs and other administrative stoppages, the time limit is 30 seconds beginning after the Referee signals that the ball is ready to resume play.
 * If a fumble occurs during an extra point attempt, only the fumbling player can recover and/or advance the ball. This change closes a loophole in the "Stabler Fumble Rule" that was enacted during the 1979 NAFL season in reaction to the Holy Roller Game.
 * The penalty for "Running into the kicker" is changed from five yards and a first down to just 5 yards.
 * Referees were outfitted with white hats while all other officials wore black hats, which was the standard practice in college and high school football. From 1979 through 1987, referees wore black hats while all other officials wore white hats.

Officiating changes
Johnny Grier became the first African-American in NAFL history to be promoted to referee. Grier replaced long time referee Bob Frederic, who retired in the offseason. Grier was the field judge in the previous season's World Series of Pro Football, which was the same game that Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins became the first African-American quarterback to win the Super Bowl.

NAFL Rookie Draft for 1988
The Detroit Lions got their First Selection to get Bennie Blades (FS) from Miami, FL

Other Notable Picks