Newsletter: Reviewing the 2025 NFL Rule Changes from Owner's Meetings

There was more at play than just the Eagles’ short yardage scheme, so here's an update.

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 16: A close up of the official NFL 'The Duke' game ball complete with commissioner Roger Goodell's signature. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

While most of the NFL world is hung up on a potential change to the Philadelphia “Tush Push” issue, the league announced a slew of changes to their current rules with some intriguing off-field and on-field changes we should track. A reminder that each year the league has franchises propose rules and it is followed by a collective vote to get the rules through while some (such as the Tush Push) that are hotly debated will go through a “table process” to be discussed by the owners at a later date — mostly in order to have just the league’s owners discuss the change and leave out coaches and executives.

How the Process Works

“The Competition Committee's actions are informed in part by feedback solicited from all 32 teams. Each club completes a survey responding to questions about player protection, officiating, competitive balance and technology. Then, ahead of the combine, NFL football operations meets with coaches, general managers, players and NCAA representatives to collect input about possible rule changes. Injury, instant replay and technology data are also reviewed.

Another meeting is then held before the combine to prepare agenda items, talk about the feedback received and review information with league medical advisors, members of the coaches' and general managers' subcommittees, and NFLPA representatives.

Eventually, the competition committee presents its findings to the 32 team owners, who then vote on proposed new rules or changes. A rule can only be adopted if it receives support from 75% of ownership (24 yes votes out of 32 owners).”

Let’s go through these one-by-one.

• PLAYING RULES SUMMARY

1. (A) NFL owners approved the modified kickoff rule, minus a couple components to push the ball out to the 35-yard line on touchbacks and held off with any change to the onside kick changes at the moment. That could be considered later.

   

   tl;dr: this is going to lead to fewer teams kicking into the endzone because the ball starting at the 35-yard line will mean very short fields for offenses to travel. I expect a major uptick in kickoff returns due to kickoff team adjustments.