NFL Rules Proposals

During upcoming online league meetings, the NFL's owners will discuss some rules proposals. All proposals must be approved by 75% of the owners. Here are the proposals submitted by the Competition Committee and a few of the clubs.

from NFL Operations:

COMPETITION COMMITTEE RULES PROPOSALS

By the Competition Committee, to amend Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9, to expand defenseless player protection to a kickoff or punt returner who is in possession of the ball but who has not had time to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent.

By the Competition Committee, to amend Rule 4, Section 3, Article 2, to prevent teams from manipulating the game clock by committing multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running.

CLUB PLAYING RULES PROPOSALS

By Philadelphia; to amend Rule 15, Section 2, to make permanent the expansion of automatic replay reviews to include scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul, and any successful or unsuccessful Try attempt.

By Philadelphia; to amend Rule 6, Section 1, Article 1, to provide an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team who is trailing in the game an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball after scoring (4th and 15 from the kicking team’s 25-yard line).

By Miami; to amend Rule 4, Section 3, Article 2, to provide the option to the defense for the game clock to start on the referee’s signal if the defense declines an offensive penalty that occurs late in either half.

By Baltimore and Los Angeles Chargers; to amend Rule 19, Section 2, to add a “booth umpire” as an eighth game official to the officiating crew.

By Baltimore and Los Angeles Chargers; to amend Rule 19, Section 2, to add a Senior Technology Advisor to the Referee to assist the officiating crew.

***

The Eagles and Ravens always seem to be proposing new rules. Are they wronged every year? 

By the Competition Committee, to amend Rule 4, Section 3, Article 2, to prevent teams from manipulating the game clock by committing multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running.

After seeing the manner in which the Patriots and the Texans jacked with a couple of games last year, there was no doubt that this rule change was coming this offseason. It had better be approved unanimously. Or at worst, 30-2. 

As a football traditionalist, I hate to see the onside kick eliminated. I've hated to see the kickoff gradually eliminated. There are ways to make the game as safe as possible without eliminating some of the things that have always been key elements of the game. Some of the alternatives feel "gimmicky" to me. Pretty soon they are going to haul out some Cornhole to settle on-field issues. I'm sure that I'll come around to any inevitable changes. There was a time when football traditionalists thought that the forward pass was "gimmicky."

Officiating has gotten so bad that having some "eyes in the sky" in the form of a booth umpire sounds like a fantastic idea. Alberto Riveron making decisions from New York was a disaster.