New Rules, Bylaws, and Resolution

The NFL's owners spent the first day of their Annual Meeting voting to yank the Oakland Raiders from their fans. They spent the second day of the meetings voting on proposed rules, bylaws, and resolutions. The following rules, bylaws, and resolution were adopted.

Approved 2017 Playing Rules Proposals

-Prohibits a defensive player from leaping over the line to block field goal and extra point attempts.

-Makes permanent the rule that disqualifies a player who is penalized twice in one game for certain types of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

-Keeps in place the change of the spot of a touchback after the kickoff to the 25-yard line for the 2017 season.

-Gives a receiver running a pass route defenseless player protection.

-Makes crackback blocks by a backfield player who is in motion, even if he is not more than two yards outside the tackle when the ball is snapped.

-Replaces the sideline replay monitor with a hand-held device and authorizes designated members of the Officiating department to make the final decision on replay reviews.

-Makes it Unsportsmanlike Conduct to commit multiple fouls during the same down designed to manipulate the game clock.

-Makes actions to conserve time illegal after the two-minute warning of either half.

Approved 2017 Bylaw Proposals 

-Liberalizes rules for timing, testing, and administering physical examinations to draft-eligible players at a club's facility for one year only.

-Changes the procedure for returning a player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness to the Active List to be similar to those for returning a player that was Designated for Return.

-The League office will transmit a Personnel Notice to clubs on Sundays during training camp and preseason.

Approved 2017 Resolution Proposal

-Permits a contract or non-contract non-football employee to interview with and be hired by another club during the playing season, provided the employer club has consented.

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New Rules Thoughts

The Seattle Seahawks are likely miffed that Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner will no longer be allowed to hurdle the line for a quick route to block kicks. That's too bad. Teams were probably going to start upending these leapers in mid-leap to keep them from easy blocks. That would likely result in a head-first fall from a height of 7-8 feet. That's not good for anyone.

Offensive linemen and their coaches won't like it but it might be best if the NFL outlaws all crackback blocks. First of all, it's dangerous. Second of all, the league is headed that way anyway. It feels like it's each year that they make crackback blocks illegal on another spot of the field or in another situation. At the current pace all of these blocks will soon be illegal. Just jump to a football world with no crackback blocks.

The replay change is a little puzzling. If the final replay decisions are going to be made in New York why do they need to view it on the field with the monitor or a hand-held device? Is the hand-held device just for show as another advertising money stream? I pick that one. More money from Microsoft. The NFL is all about another buck.

I need to see the rule changes that impact the game clock in action. It sounds like the quarterback grounding the football to stop the clock and players running out of bounds to do the same are going to be illegal.