The NFL announced 12 playing rules, bylaws, and resolution proposals on Wednesday to be voted on for approval at the Annual League Meeting on March 24-27.
New NFL Rules To Be Voted On
The Pittsburgh Steelers have proposed moving the trade deadline to Week 9, while six other teams — the Browns, Lions, Jets, Eagles, 49ers, and Commanders — are looking to shift the deadline to the Tuesday following the NFL’s Week 10 games.
Those clubs reasoned that this change would more closely align with the 2021 change to a 17-game season. A later deadline would also provide better flexibility and a larger sample size in assessing roster options at that point in the year.
The Eagles have also submitted a repeat proposal that would allow teams to maintain possession after a touchdown or field goal by converting a 4th-and-20 play from the scoring club’s 20-yard line rather than performing a traditional kickoff.
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Included in the proposal is that a team cannot elect to run such a play more than twice per game and must be trailing to do so at all. The new playing rule would not eliminate a standard onside kick but simply add another option to retain possession.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero noted that Philly’s idea has not gained traction in previous years.
Nonetheless, that rule, as well as the two trade deadline byline proposals and several others, will be up for a vote at the end of the month in Orlando, Fla.; any rule change needs to be approved by 75% of NFL owners.
Below is a full list of all the proposals for 2024:
- By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 1, to protect a club’s ability to challenge a third ruling following one successful challenge.
- By Philadelphia; amends Rule 9, Section 2, Article 2, to eliminate the first touch spot after the receiving team possesses the ball.
- By Philadelphia; amends Rule 6, Section 1, Article 1, to permit a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play (4th and 20 from the kicking team’s 20-yard line) for an onside kickoff attempt.
- By Indianapolis; amends Rule 15, Section 3, to permit a coach or replay official (inside of two minutes) to challenge any foul that has been called.
- By Detroit; amends Article XVII, Section 17.16 (C) of the Constitution & Bylaws, to remove the requirement that a player must spend at least one day on the Active roster following the final roster reduction in order to become eligible to be designated for return.
- By Detroit; amends Article XVII, Section 17.16 (C) of the Constitution & Bylaws, to provide clubs with an unlimited number of designated for return transactions in the postseason.
- By Buffalo; amends Article XVII, Section 17.3 of the Constitution & Bylaws, to expand the Standard Elevation rules to permit clubs to elevate a third player from its practice squad who is a bona fide quarterback to be an Emergency Third Quarterback.
- By Pittsburgh; amends Article XVI, Section 16.6 of the Constitution & Bylaws, to move the trading deadline to the Tuesday after Week 9 games.
- By Cleveland, Detroit, New York Jets, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington; amends Article XVI, Section 16.6 of the Constitution & Bylaws, to move the trading deadline to the Tuesday after Week 10 games.
- By Buffalo; to make the injury reporting rules for players who do not travel with their clubs to games away from their home city competitively fairer.
- By Jacksonville; to make available the “working box” Hawk-Eye replay feed in the coaches booth.
- By Philadelphia; to require game clocks to display tenths of seconds for the final 60 seconds of each half.
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