Updates

During upcoming league meetings, clubs will discuss the following proposed rules changes. All proposals must be approved by 75% (24) of the owners to be adopted.

Here’s a look at the 2023 club and Competition Committee rules change proposals.

COMPETITION COMMITTEE RULES PROPOSALS

• By Competition Committee; to change the definition of a launch to leaving one or both feet.
• By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for tripping a personal foul.
• By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegally handing the ball forward consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.
• By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegal punts, drop kicks, or placekicks consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.
• By Competition Committee; to put the ball in play at the receiving team’s 25-yard line when a touchback occurs from a punt.
• By Competition Committee; to prevent the offense from benefitting by an extension of the half as a result of their foul.
• By Competition Committee; to put the ball in play at the receiving team’s 25-yard line if there is a fair catch on a free kick (kickoff and safety kick) behind the receiving team’s 25-yard line.
• By Competition Committee; to clarify use of the helmet against an opponent by removing the “butt, ram, spear” language from Article 8 and incorporating those actions into Impermissible Use of the Helmet.

CLUB PLAYING RULES PROPOSALS

• By Philadelphia; amends Rule 5, Section 1, Article 2, to permit the use of zero ("0") as a jersey numeral; to allow kickers and punters to use any jersey numeral between 0-49 and 90-99.
• By Philadelphia; amends Rule 6, Section 1, to permit a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play (4th-and-20 from the kicking team's 20-yard line) for an onside kickoff attempt.
• By Los Angeles Chargers; amends Rule 4, Section 6, Article 3 and Section 7, Article 4, to make the adjustment of the play clock following an instant replay reversal consistent with other timing rules.
• By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 3, Article 9, to expand the coaches' challenge system to include personal fouls called on the field.
• By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 1, to provide clubs more opportunities for a third challenge.
• By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 3, to expand the replay official's jurisdiction to allow for consultation regarding penalty assessment.
• By Houston; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 2, to expand the replay official's jurisdiction to allow for review on failed fourth-down attempts.
• By Los Angeles Rams; amends Rule 15, Section 1 and Section 3, to make fouls for roughing the passer called on the field subject to replay assist and/or review by a coach's challenge.
• By New York Jets; amends Rule 12, Section 2, Article 6, to expand the crackback prohibition to players who go in motion and go beyond the center to block ("split-flow block") a defender below the waist.