NFL implements major rule changes for 2025 season: What to know
Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LIX
The Eagles stopping the Chiefs' shot at a three consecutive titles with their 40-22 victory in the big game.
The upcoming NFL season will bring about many changes to the sport.
Here’s an explanation of some of the new rules that will be in place.
NFL tweaks kickoff rule again to boost returns, reduce injuries
Dig deeper:
The league was mostly pleased with the experimental kickoff put in place for 2024 that led to the rate of kickoff returns increasing from a record-low 21.8% in 2023 to 32.8% last season, while reducing the rate of injuries on what had been the game's most dangerous play.
The rule made kickoffs more like scrimmage plays by placing the coverage players and blockers close together to eliminate the high-speed collisions that had contributed to so many injuries on the play. The league said the rate of concussions dropped 43% on returns with a significant reduction as well on lower-body injuries.
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The backstory:
The problem last season was many teams still opted to kick the ball in the end zone because the touchback wasn't punitive enough with the average starting field position on a touchback being only 2.4 further than the average starting position after returns that was the 27.6-yard line.
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By moving the touchback to the 35, the league projects that the return rate will rise to somewhere between 60% and 70% with a similar increase in long returns, adding more excitement to the game.
The league also approved a small tweak to how how blockers on the return team are allowed to line up in the setup zone that could lead to longer returns.
NFL expands overtime possessions, but keeps 10-minute limit
Dig deeper:
The league approved a proposal to make regular season overtime more like the postseason with both teams getting a chance at a possession, even if the team that got the ball first scored a touchdown.
The NFL added regular season overtime in 1974, adding a 15-minute sudden death period that ended on any score. In 2010, the rule was tweaked to a "modified" sudden death that required an opening possession touchdown to immediately end the game instead of only a field goal in both the regular season and playoffs.
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Overtime then was shortened for the regular season to only 10 minutes in 2017. A rule change in 2022 for the playoffs only gave both teams the chance to score even with a touchdown on the opening possession.
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Now that will be the case in the playoffs, after the improved field position on kickoffs made winning in OT on an opening possession TD easier.
The league kept the 10-minute overtime period instead of expanding it back to 15 minutes like was originally proposed by Philadelphia, which could lead teams opting to go for 2 and a win if they match an opening drive TD with one of their own since there might not be time for another possession.
NFL expands replay assist to fix clear and obvious penalty errors
Dig deeper:
The NFL expanded its replay assist system to overturn objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles, tripping if there was "clear and obvious" evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Replay also would be able to overturn a roughing-the-kicker or running-into-the-kicker penalty if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.
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The league has been using replay assist in recent years to overturn obvious errors on aspects like whether a pass is caught or where the ball should be spotted without the referee needing to stop the game for a review.
The Competition Committee says there's no interest in allowing replay assists to call penalties on plays missed by officials on the field.
NFL moving to ‘Hawk-Eye' but chain gang will remain
Why you should care:
The NFL is going to implement Hawk-Eye virtual measurement to determine line to gain for a first down instead of the chain gang method, which was long used by the league for the same purpose in games. However, NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo noted that the chain gang will stick around as needed.
This technology may be used to overturn a call on the field to determine whether a ball-carrier reached the line to gain for a first down, although it's different from chip technology, FOX Sports reported.
NFL delays votes on 'tush push' ban
What's next:
A proposal by Green Bay to outlaw the tush push that Philadelphia has used so successfully was tabled until the May meetings. A vote on a proposal to tweak the onside kick rule also was delayed until May, along with a proposal by Detroit to change the playoff seeding to place wild-card teams ahead of a division winner with a worse record.
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The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from official NFL announcements, statements from the league’s Competition Committee, and reports from sports media outlets such as NFL Network and FOX Sports. Daniel Miller contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.