2024 Rules Changes

The NFL is committed to protecting players from unnecessary risk, while keeping the game fair, competitive and exciting.

The NFL Competition Committee receives and considers input from coaches, general managers, owners, current players and NFL Legends, the NFL Players Association, medical personnel and the media, and conducts weeks of discussion and video study before recommending changes to any rule.

During this process, the Committee asks several questions about each potential rule change:

• Does the change improve the game?
• How will it be officiated?
• How will it be coached?
• Can the player apply the rule on the field?
• Does the change enhance player protection?

The league reviews changes with players, coaches and officials during off-season meetings, training camp and the NFL Officiating Clinic to help everyone adapt to the rule changes and points of emphasis. The Officiating Department also provides training videos for players and coaches with specific examples.

2023 NFL Rules Changes

INSTANT REPLAY REVERSAL

New for 2023, when an instant replay decision results in a reversal under 2:00, the play clock will be reset to :40 instead of :25; unless another rule requires otherwise, such as when there is also a :10 runoff, in which case the play clock will be reset to :30.

Additionally, inside 2:00, reversing from a ruling with a stopped clock to one with a running clock requires either a :10 second runoff or a charged team timeout.

Illegal Forward Pass

A forward pass from beyond the line of scrimmage results in a loss of down and five yards from the spot of the pass.

Beginning in the 2021 season, a second forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage, or a forward pass thrown after the ball returns behind the line of scrimmage, will now result in a loss of down and a five yard penalty from the previous spot. Additionally, if the foul occurs in the end zone, it will result in a safety.

Free Kick Formation

For one year only, all receiving team players must be inbounds and behind their restraining line, and at least eight, but no more than nine, players must be positioned between their restraining and a spot 15 yards behind their setup zone. 

Game Officials Receiving Assistance from Replay Officials

The Committee has expanded the rule for game officials to receive assistance from the Replay Official and designated members of the Officiating department to advise the game officials on specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present, and/or to address game administration issues.

This rule is designed to assist game officials in the administration of certain objective on-field rulings.

FAILED FOURTH-DOWN CONVERSIONS

All failed fourth-down conversions will now be an automatic booth review, similar to other turnover situations. Head coaches are prohibited from challenging a failed fourth-down conversion.

However, successful fourth-down conversions still require a coach to challenge unless they occur inside the two-minute warning or during overtime.

Blocks Below the Waist

New for 2021, the tight end box is defined as the area two yards outside of the normal tackle position and extends five yards on either side of the line of scrimmage.

Blocks below the waist during a scrimmage down, prior to a change of possession, are prohibited by players from either team, unless the contact occurs within the tight end box.

This does not apply to a runner or a player attempting to catch a forward or backward pass. Players are still restricted by other low block rules, even if the contact occurs within the tight end box, such as an Illegal Crackback Block, a Chop Block or Clipping.

Elimination of Overtime in Preseason

If the score is tied at the end of regulation during the preseason, overtime will not be played.

Points of Clarification

Use of Helmet

The Officiating Department will continue to emphasize the Use of Helmet rule, first adopted in 2018.

Offensive Holding

Offensive holding will be more strictly enforced this season, particularly on the back side of the run play or line of scrimmage. Referees will closely monitor play at the line of scrimmage to ensure that offensive players do not materially restrict opponents or alter the defender’s path or angle of pursuit.

Material restrictions include but are not limited to:

1. grabbing or tackling an opponent
2. hooking, jerking, twisting, or turning him
3. pulling him to the ground.

The officiating standards for the Use of Helmet rule are: 

• Lowering the head (not to include bracing for contact)
• Initiating contact with the helmet to any part of an opponent. Contact does not have to be to an opponent’s head or neck area — lowering the head and initiating contact to an opponent’s torso, hips, and lower body, is also a foul.
• Making contact on an opponent (both offense and defense)

Players can be ejected for Use of Helmet fouls — and all ejections will be reviewed by senior league personnel in Art McNally GameDay Central in New York. The standards for ejection are, if: 

• The player lowers his helmet to establish a linear body posture prior to initiating and making contact with the helmet;
• The player delivering the blow had an unobstructed path to his opponent;
• The contact was clearly avoidable

The Committee is in support of issuing warning letters for any Use of the Helmet fouls in the interior line or where there is little space between players.

Taunting

For the second consecutive year, the NFL Competition Committee, NFL coaches, and the NFL Players Association all strongly recommended that the taunting of an opponent be a point of emphasis to continue to promote good sportsmanship and respect for opponents.

What is taunting? Any flagrant acts or remarks that deride, mock, bait, or embarrass an opponent.

Two taunting penalties committed by an individual player in the same game will result in an automatic disqualification. In addition, the taunting player may be subject to additional discipline depending on the severity of the action.

TRIPPING

Starting in 2023, tripping is now a personal foul, 15-yard penalty and is subject to additional discipline whether it is called or not called on the field by officials.

What is tripping? The use of the leg or foot to obstruct any opponent (including a runner).

2024 Rules Changes

Hip-Drop Tackle

In advance of the 2024 season, NFL clubs have voted unanimously to remove the hip-drop tackle from the game.

A hip-drop tackle occurs when a defender wraps up a ball carrier and rotates or swivels his hips, unweighting himself and dropping onto ball carrier’s legs during the tackle.

A hip-drop tackle will result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first-down if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground:

• Grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms
• Unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee

Kickoff Rule Adjustment 

To create a new form of a free kick play that is designed to:

• Resemble a typical scrimmage play by aligning players on both teams closer together and restricting movement to reduce space and speed.
• Promote more returns.

Approved 2024 Rules

• By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 1, to protect a club’s ability to challenge a third ruling following one successful challenge.
• By Competition Committee; amends Rule 14, Section 5, Article 2, to allow for an enforcement of a major foul by the offense prior to a change of possession in a situation where there are fouls by both teams.
• By Competition Committee; amends Rule 15, Section 3, Article 3, to include a ruling of a passer down by contact or out of bounds before throwing a pass as a reviewable play.

• By Competition Committee; amends Rule 15, Section 3, Article 9, to allow a replay review when there is clear and obvious visual evidence that the game clock expired before any snap.
• By Competition Committee; amends Rule 12, Section 2, to eliminate a potentially dangerous tackling technique.
• By Competition Committee; for one year only, amends Rule 6, to create a new form of a free kick play that is designed to: (1) resemble a typical scrimmage play by aligning players on both teams closer together and restricting movement to reduce space and speed; and (2) promote more returns.