The new kickoff rules have basically taken away the onside kick from the game.
NFL Network’s Judy Battista tweeted Thursday the league is beginning to warm to an idea suggested by the Philadelphia Eagles.
What would happen is rather than try and recover a kick after 10 yards, which has become next to impossible under the current rules, a team would have a fourth-and-15 play from the kicking team’s 25-yard line.
As the tweet reads you could do it a maximum of twice a game.
On May 28, NFL has another virtual meeting, will vote on potential rules changes. There is some growing support for a Philly proposal of 4th and 15 play from kicking team's 25 yd line in lieu of onside kick. Could do it max twice/game.
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) May 21, 2020
The XFL didn’t go this far with its rule: If a team wishes to run an onside kick, it must indicate this to the official before the play and the teams will be permitted to line up using traditional NFL rules (i.e. 10 yards apart from the kicking team). There will be no surprise onside kicks.
Also on the docket, according to an AP story:
- The NFL is considering adding a “booth umpire” and a senior technology advisor to the referee to assist the officiating crew.
- Making permanent the expansion of automatic replay reviews to include scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul, and any successful or unsuccessful extra-point attempt.
- Providing the option to the defense for the game clock to start on the referee’s signal if the defense declines an offensive penalty that occurs late in either half. This would eliminate instances when an offense could benefit time-wise from committing a penalty.
- Expanding the defenseless player protection to kickoff or punt returner who is in possession of the ball but who has not had time to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent.
- Preventing teams from manipulating the game clock by committing multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running.
The Eagles had proposed restoring preseason and regular-season overtime to 15 minutes and to implement rules to minimize the impact of the overtime coin toss. But they have withdrawn the idea.
Owners are expected to drop the use of video reviews on pass interference after a one-year trial that caused as many headaches as it solved issues.