The NFL’s Competition Committee has approved three rule changes at the annual league meetings, including the banning of the hip-drop tackle. In addition, the NFL will also now allow teams to get a third challenge if one of their first two challenges is successful. The NFL also added a rule allowing enforcement of a major foul by the offense prior to a change of possession in the case there are fouls by both teams. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is a member of the Competition Committee.
The news was tweeted by Brian McCarthy, the Vice President of Communication for the NFL.
Getting a third challenge will allow teams to be more aggressive in challenging plays, as they won’t automatically lose the challenge even if they win. The benefit of winning a challenge previously was not losing a timeout, but now teams will potentially have an additional challenge in their back pocket to use if needed. The Lions proposed that rule change, while the Competition Committee proposed the other two.
The hip-drop tackle ban will force defensive players to change their technique and work on different ways to bring a player down without swiveling their legs to bring them down from behind. The rule change allowing enforcement of a major foul by the offense is one that seemingly won’t come into play often, but the offense’s foul will be enforced on the ensuing change of possession. For example, if there is a double foul (one by both teams) prior to a change of possession, the team that gains possession will keep the ball after the enforcement of its foul.
Rich McKay, the chairman of the Competition Committee, said the new kickoff rule proposal was discussed with ownership but has not been voted on yet. Mike Tomlin described the kickoff change, which is intended to balance safety with excitement, as a “radical change.”
NFL Media’s Judy Battista tweeted a graphic of what that change would look like if it is indeed implemented.
McKay also said that the NFL’s replay assistant can correct certain types of incorrect calls for roughing the passer or intentional grounding, which is also new this year, per Pelissero.
Rule changes that did not get approved include the proposal by the Eagles to allow a team to attempt a fourth-and-20 instead of trying for an onside kick, Tom Pelissero reported.
Pelissero also noted that the Indianapolis Colts withdrew their proposal to allow a coach or replay official to challenge any foul that has been called.
The NFL always changes rules, but the third-challenge implementation and ban of the hip-drop tackle are two fairly notable changes, and the new hybrid kickoff rule, if implemented, certainly would be as well. The Competition Committee will likely make a decision on that in the upcoming days, and the NFL could look a lot different in terms of rules next season.
