2024 NFL Rule Changes

[Atkins&Rebel]

Article in the Athletic discussing the new NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell's position on some rule changes after talking with all 32 teams' reps and numerous owners:

-Wants fines lessened further or removed for sports betting on non football bets:

Legalized sports betting and the explosion of social media have also impacted players because now they often receive ridicule from fans who lost money because a player didn’t hit a certain benchmark on a parlay. Other times, in instances where they do succeed, fans bombard them on social media with praise, creating a mental rollercoaster of sorts.

-Playing surfaces are a real concern:

Howell said Wednesday an NFLPA survey of 1,700 players revealed 92 percent of players prefer high-quality natural grass fields to artificial turf. Some owners are resistant to change because of the financial cost involved in switching to grass surfaces, and Goodell said earlier this week the solution could involve finding a hybrid type of surface.

News broke this week that MetLife Stadium will host a World Cup game in 2025, and to satisfy the demand of international soccer players, a natural grass surface will temporarily replace the field turf surface the New York Giants and New York Jets play on — a surface players have been very vocal in blaming for injuries.

This offseason could impact how the Bears build their stadium and how current dome teams manage their playing surfaces as well.

-Drop Hip Tackles not seen as a safety liability by many players:

In another safety-related matter, players were asked about discussions on the NFL competition committee eventually moving to make the hip-drop tackle illegal because of the belief it leads to serious injury. NFLPA leaders — players on both sides of the ball — made it clear they see no reason to outlaw the tackle because it’s simply a football play.

“I don’t really know how to play football, if they actually put that rule into effect,” [Michael] Thomas said.

[Calais] Campbell expounded: “Yes, it’s about making the game safer and there are a lot of rules that were put in place over the last 10-plus years, you know, that made the game a lot safer and they were big adjustments for players. But I felt like, with this in particular, I just don’t understand how you can police it the right way and allow us to do our job.

[Rusty Trombagent]

Good to hear push back from players on hip drop tackles. It's funny to think of it from a wr's prospective too: you want to tackle a linebacker? Either you hip drop them, or you take out his knees.

Imo outlawing hip drops will just further increase leg injuries.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

† The NFL has been testing optical tracking devices that could eventually replace the chain gang on first-down measurements, NFL Network reported. The league won’t consider using the technology until at least 2025.

† The league is not expected to outlaw the “Tush Push” or change the rule that awards a touchback when the ball is fumbled through the end zone at next month’s annual meeting, but it could outlaw the hip-drop tackle.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024 ... khan-draft

[Atkins&Rebel]

I grew up with it being illegal for an offensive player to physically assist the ball carrier in any way other than blocking opponents who are not engaged in tackling the ball carrier. I find the tush push the abhorrent result of allowing offensive linemen/blockers to "move the piles" from behind...whenever that was instituted.
So I wouldn't make a rule to outlaw the tush push per say, but I would return to the old rule where no offensive player may physically assist the ball carrier once engaged with a defender. So no more rugby scrums at all.

[southdakbearfan]

I grew up with it being illegal for an offensive player to physically assist the ball carrier in any way other than blocking opponents who are not engaged in tackling the ball carrier. I find the tush push the abhorrent result of allowing offensive linemen/blockers to "move the piles" from behind...whenever that was instituted.
So I wouldn't make a rule to outlaw the tush push per say, but I would return to the old rule where no offensive player may physically assist the ball carrier once engaged with a defender. So no more rugby scrums at all.

100%

[Grizzled]

Proposed rule changes the NFL will consider. Rules will be voted on at the owners meetings March 24 -27:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/eagl ... nfl-teams/

[UOK]

[Moriarty]

Ummm...onside kicks are allowed, but the kicking and receiving team lines are going to be 30 yds away from the kicker???

Or do they mean you have to announce an onside kick and then you go back to lining up the current way, instead of the new way??

[Moriarty]

Good to hear push back from players on hip drop tackles. It's funny to think of it from a wr's prospective too: you want to tackle a linebacker? Either you hip drop them, or you take out his knees.

Imo outlawing hip drops will just further increase leg injuries.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/398 ... -technique

Except the owners just ignored them.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Ummm...onside kicks are allowed, but the kicking and receiving team lines are going to be 30 yds away from the kicker???

Or do they mean you have to announce an onside kick and then you go back to lining up the current way, instead of the new way??

The latter. It will be like the changes to PAT vs 2 point conversion when they moved the spot for a kick back to the 15 yard line.

There won't be any surprise on-side kicks in future...

[UOK]

It passed, hell yeah

[LacertineForest]

I wonder how the rule change will affect who they put back there for returns. Obviously, the schemes will be very different - should be an interesting change, at least.

[Rusty Trombagent]

[thunderspirit]

Twitter thread on the rules and how they developed. (For those who don't know, Eric Galko is the head of the East-West Shrine Bowl.)

[HisRoyalSweetness]

The Bears stance on the new KO format:

The Bears were one of 29 teams in favor of the change.

Richard Hightower was among the special-teams coordinators who developed the rule.

‘‘We had to do something to make the play safer. The touchback is the most anticlimactic play in our great game.’’

- George McCaskey

‘‘I do know that we had to do something to bring that play back. It’s going to be really interesting to see how it gets schemed up.’’

"Some people are just uncomfortable with the unknown. They don’t know how the play’s going to come out. Is the ball going to be starting at the 50-yard line every time because of this play? Is there going to be an injury to the kicker? . . . There are just concerns of the unknown.’’

- Matt Eberflus

[HisRoyalSweetness]

According to Patrick Finley "the NFL’s analytics department thinks the new rule will allow teams to start their possessions between the 28- and 29-yard lines; last season, it was the 25."

He also reported that there were 1,970 touchbacks last season, including all 13 kickoffs in the Super Bowl, and that only 22% of all kickoffs were returned so NFL officials were tired of touchbacks but also wanted to improve a play that has an injury rate double that of one from scrimmage. The league will reevaluate it after one season, but the intent is for the rule to stay.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Maybe Velus Jones will prove useful after all.

Within hours of the announcement the Steelers signed former Bear Cordarrelle Patterson, who lest we forget is the NFL's all-time leader in KO return TDs, to a two-year $6m contract. Apparently his agent was in Orlando awaiting word that the new format had been approved.

[Moriarty]

My first instinct is that most returns will be about the same length. Everyone's kind of bunched up and not as spaced out as when you're running so far.

If you do actually break through the wall, though, there's really nothing behind it, except the kicker.

[Grizzled]

The NFL has revised the emergency QB rule which it implemented in '23 following the 49ers losing both QBs in the '22 championship game. Teams will now be permitted to, in addition to the two standard elevations from the practice squad each week, can elevate a quarterback to serve as the emergency quarterback. Unlike the standard elevation rules that allow players to be elevated three times before they must clear waivers, teams can elevate a quarterback unlimited times.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nfl-owners ... 33633.html

[Rusty Trombagent]

My first instinct is that most returns will be about the same length. Everyone's kind of bunched up and not as spaced out as when you're running so far.

If you do actually break through the wall, though, there's really nothing behind it, except the kicker.

Yeah, I wonder if st coordinators are going to be dropping guys back. The xfl examples feel like real blunt instruments.

[Bearfacts]

I'm curious about this move and what appears to be a final destruction of what we commonly thought of as "The Hester Rule" back in the day. The new structure seems to be directed toward offense starting in much better field position than their own 25 yard line which is what we've been accustomed to seeing for quite awhile now. This should enhance scoring in at least two ways which brings me to this question.

So far Velus Jones has failed as a WR and more surprisingly as a PR which he was actually quite good at throughout his college career. But he has average over 27 yards per KOR in both 2022 and 2023 making him one of the top returners in the NFL. Does anyone believe this might get him another year as a gadget guy and KOR specialist? There was even some talk before about using him as RB at times.

Just curious what you all think.

[dplank]

Yes, it helps VJJ a lot IMO. I’m happy with the change, it was needed IMO

[southdakbearfan]

I’ve heard it said, they prefer RB type returners in this format, but who knows maybe VJJ is a RB.

[docc]

...yeah..the "another gadget" use for the VAG...

I like it..

[UOK]

The NFL has revised the emergency QB rule which it implemented in '23 following the 49ers losing both QBs in the '22 championship game. Teams will now be permitted to, in addition to the two standard elevations from the practice squad each week, can elevate a quarterback to serve as the emergency quarterback. Unlike the standard elevation rules that allow players to be elevated three times before they must clear waivers, teams can elevate a quarterback unlimited times.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nfl-owners ... 33633.html

This is a common sense adjustment that I'm glad they made.

My first instinct is that most returns will be about the same length. Everyone's kind of bunched up and not as spaced out as when you're running so far.

If you do actually break through the wall, though, there's really nothing behind it, except the kicker.

I think the dividends of this new (and awesome) system will be revealed by midseason once coaches begin to trot out schemes to exploit this new part of the game. Roster makeup is probably going to be shifted next season too. Less emphasis on gunners will have an impact.

[thunderspirit]

I think the dividends of this new (and awesome) system will be revealed by midseason once coaches begin to trot out schemes to exploit this new part of the game. Roster makeup is probably going to be shifted next season too. Less emphasis on gunners will have an impact.

Yeah, this may be an underrated aspect here. I suspect S/LB hybrids with good speed will more readily find a home on kick coverage units with this change, particularly if the returners migrate toward RB types over WR types.

[UOK]

I think the dividends of this new (and awesome) system will be revealed by midseason once coaches begin to trot out schemes to exploit this new part of the game. Roster makeup is probably going to be shifted next season too. Less emphasis on gunners will have an impact.

Yeah, this may be an underrated aspect here. I suspect S/LB hybrids with good speed will more readily find a home on kick coverage units with this change, particularly if the returners migrate toward RB types over WR types.

Bingo. All these in-between guys, "big nickel," too small for a linebacker, too big for a safety will make the team more regularly than ever before.

[HurricaneBear]

I'm not sure if I like the rule or not yet. But at least they are trying to make the kickoff have a purpose again.

I still hope they draft someone who can do punts and kickoffs and I hope that person pushes VJJ off the roster. He had his chance, made some money. He's just not good at football.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

The Chiefs have signed former Welsh Rugby international Louis Rees-Zammit from the 2024 international player pathway. The Jets, Browns and Broncos also showed interest.

He's 23, ran a 4.46 40-time, which he was disappointed with claiming he'd run sub 4.4 and even sub 4.3 in training, managed a poor 29 inch vertical leap and a 9'7 broad jump.

As a Rugby player he'll have experience of fielding high kicks so I'd imagine returner will be a role they'll be looking at with him. If he ends up successful then I wonder if more players with a Rugby background will start interesting teams assuming this new KO rule remains. Of all the positions in the NFL returner is the one that requires skills most likely to be transferable from Rugby.

[dplank]

Did they do anything rules wise about the tush push, or generally having players push an offensive player forward scrum style?