Tag: Rule

Explaining the NFL’s fair catch kick rule from the Chargers-Broncos game

The Chargers took advantage of an obscure NFL rule with a fair catch kick against the Broncos on ‘Thursday Night Football.’

Just before halftime of a Thursday Night Football clash between the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos in Week 16, Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker put his name in the NFL history books with a rare feat.

Dicker converted a 57-yard fair catch kick, a scenario that has not happened in the NFL since 1976. Los Angeles took advantage of an obscure rule after Denver cornerback Tremon Smith made contact with the Chargers’ returner after he had called for a fair catch on a punt.

By rule, NFL teams can attempt a field goal after a fair catch without facing a rush from the opposing team. Usually, punts are fielded too deep to make attempting a kick a feasible option. Thanks to a 15-yard penalty from the Broncos, however, L.A. was put in range for a fair catch free kick on Thursday.

The sequence happened after Denver opted to not run out the clock with an 11-point lead at its own 18-yard line. The Broncos ran two pass plays and then punted after being stuffed on a third-down run.

“Look, I think 40 or 41 seconds to start the drive,” coach Sean Payton explained after the game. “We try to see, typically, you’d be pretty conservative. We were going to have the ball. We ran a screen and then when the clock got low enough, we didn’t get any momentum going there. We just ran the ball and punted it.

“A penalty puts them in a position and then basically anytime you catch a punt, you have the ability to place it right there and get a free kick. Doesn’t happen much. We practice it all the time. Well, in that situation the penalty put them in field goal position, so it’s disappointing.”

So the Broncos were part of NFL history on Thursday night. Unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of history in an eventual 34-27 loss.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Wisconsin’s game-winning touchdown pass vs. Illinois is now a penalty, and Bret Bielema is not pleased

Wisconsin’s game-winning touchdown pass vs. Illinois is now a penalty, and Bret Bielema is not pleased

There is a new rule entering the 2024 season that directly addresses Wisconsin’s game-winning touchdown pass to beat Illinois in 2023.

The rule notes that changing a player into a different jersey during the game to complete a tackle-eligible pass is now considered an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Related: 10 developing opinions entering year two of the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin

This is, of course, exactly what Wisconsin did in switching backup left tackle Nolan Rucci from No. 66 to No. 93, then running him out on a swing route to catch the game-winning touchdown pass with 30 seconds left in the game.

Illinois HC Bret Bielema went to X to react to this rule change, posting ‘Isn’t it crazy how rules are emphasized on a yearly basis after a year in review.’

For those who need a refresher, here is the play in question, plus Bielema’s full reaction to the rule change:

We can confidently say that we probably witnessed one of the last instances of a tackle changing his number to catch a touchdown pass. We’ve definitely seen the last one that’s worked without being a 15-yard penalty.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

NFL testing electronic first-down tracking that could replace chains

The NFL is testing electronic first-down tracking that could replace chains in the future.

Out with the old, in with the new?

The NFL will toy with innovation this season, testing the idea that electronic first-down markers could replace the human-led first-down chains.

While the testing of the idea will get some experimental usage this year, the league is not expected to roll it out league-wide before the 2025 NFL season.

Per Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith, this innovative idea intends to give officials, coaches, and players a more accurate read on ball placement and potentially cutting down on review time.

“The testing has used technology developed by Hawk-Eye, the computer vision system that assists with video replays in tennis, to precisely determine the position of the ball and players during replay reviews,” according to David Smith.

With the way technology and artificial intelligence shape our world, this innovation could help the sport for years to come. We shall see if the NFL will embrace this idea in 2024 to become a full-fledged launch in 2025.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

NFLPA opposes NFL’s proposed ban on hip-drop tackle

“The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a ‘swivel hip-drop’ tackle,” the NFLPA said in a statement.

The NFL has proposed a ban on the so-called “hip-drop tackle” that the league says increases the likelihood of injury during a play.

In their new rule proposals for the 2024 season, the NFL has suggested a 15-yard penalty if a player “grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and 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.”

The NFL Players Association made it known in a statement Wednesday that they are opposed to the potential new rule.

“The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a ‘swivel hip-drop’ tackle,” the NFLPA wrote on its Twitter/X page. “While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements to our game with health and safety in mind, we cannot support a rule change that causes confusion for us as players, for coaches, for officials, and especially, for fans. We call on the NFL, again, to reconsider implementing this rule.”

Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Shelby Harris also spoke out about the proposed rule:

NFL owners will vote on the league’s new rule proposals next week.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Jimmy Graham shares his thoughts on the ‘Jimmy Graham Rule’

Jimmy Graham’s iconic touchdown celebration has been banned since he last dunked on a goalpost, but he’s hopeful it will change someday | @southexclusives

Everyone remembers Jimmy Graham’s signature touchdown celebration from his first stint with the New Orleans Saints — dunking the football over the goalpost’s crossbar. He infamously bent the goalpost in a 2013 celebration versus the Atlanta Falcons. That led to a stoppage in play, with the NFL taking that celebration out of the game. What was once a popular celebration is now a 15-yard penalty and $5,606 fine. He took time this week to reflect on the “Jimmy Graham Rule” and his place in NFL history upon returning to New Orleans.

Graham does take pride in the fact the rule is nicknamed after him. He joked that he “ended all the fun for everyone with the goalpost”, but wears it as a badge of honor. He hopes that one day “the NFL changes the whole penalty and makes it to where if you don’t tear down, nothing will happen.”

In his first score back with the team in preseason, Graham went up for the dunk, but stopped himself. It was a nice throwback to the days when a Graham touchdown catch was a regular occurrence. It’s a new day now, and Graham won’t celebrate his touchdowns with a dunk any longer. The celebration is too costly to his wallet and to the team, due to penalty.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

NFL releases statement on third QB rule that may explain Taysom Hill position switch

The NFL released a statement on its third QB rule. It doesn’t offer much more clarity, but it may explain the Taysom Hill position switch:

The New Orleans Saints drew a lot of attention on Monday by changing the position listing for Taysom Hill on their official website roster. After being listed at tight end throughout the summer, he’s now grouped with the quarterbacks.

When asked about the change after practice, head coach Dennis Allen said that it was “more of a clerical thing than anything else,” rather than a reaction to the NFL’s new third-quarterback rule. Still, this change could be a factor during the season. He pointed out that Hill played about half his snaps at quarterback last year. The Saints like to get him involved in a number of different roles as a runner, receiver, passer and occasional blocker.

Hours after the change was noted on the Saints website, the NFL released a series of questions and answers clarifying eligibility for the rule, specifying that only bona fide quarterbacks factor into the decision. Here’s their description of what that means:

For the purposes of the Emergency Third Quarterback rule, a bona fide quarterback is defined as a player who wears a jersey number authorized for a quarterback and (a) is an established quarterback (e.g., someone who has customarily played the position in past professional or college seasons); or (b) is a player who takes regular-season snaps only at quarterback during at least three consecutive weeks of practice, including any week the player would be listed as an Emergency Third Quarterback.

Additionally, here are the eligibility rules for the emergency third quarterback:

  1. The Emergency Third Quarterback must be on the club’s 53-player roster; the player cannot be an elevated Practice Squad player. The club’s starting quarterback (QB1) and its backup quarterback (QB2) must also be on the club’s 53-player roster.
  2. A club must have two bona fide quarterbacks on its 47/48-player gameday active list to designate an Emergency Third Quarterback. 
  3. A club cannot designate an Emergency Third Quarterback if it has three or more bona fide quarterbacks on its 47/48-player gameday active list

So this has more to do with Jake Haener than Taysom Hill; the rookie would be that emergency third passer they’re talking about. But what would it look like each week? Here are two examples:

Let’s say it’s a typical game week for the Saints. We’re in Week 1 and the top three quarterbacks are listed on the 48-man active roster: Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. Jake Haener is inactive, and because the Saints have three available quarterbacks, he wouldn’t be eligible to play. If Carr and Winston are both unavailable, Hill would get the nod.

Now we’re on to the next game, in a scenario where either Carr or Winston (or Hill) is not able to play. Because the Saints are down a man, they can now have Haener dress but not count against the 48-man active-roster limit. He’ll only be able to play if both quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart go down. But he will have that option.

At least that’s the idea in theory. The NFL hasn’t really painted a clearer picture than what we had earlier this offseason by overdoing this rule.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Sean Payton explains decision to only carry 2 QBs on active roster

For a third QB to not count against the game-day roster, he has to be on the 53-man roster. Sean Payton would like to see that rule changed.

The NFL announced a new rule this offseason that will allow teams to have a third-string quarterback not count against the 48-player game-day roster. There is a huge stipulation, though. In order to be eligible for that, the quarterback has to be on the 53-man roster (elevated practice squad QBs will still count against the game-day roster limit).

Many fans and pundits assumed that would lead to more teams carrying three quarterbacks on their active rosters this season. For at least the Denver Broncos, the new rule didn’t have any influence on their roster construction.

“I think there were a lot of people that felt like if the new rule said, ‘Hey, you could bring a third [quarterback] off your practice squad on game day,'” coach Sean Payton explained Thursday. “That would have possibly been a good solution. [Instead], the new rule basically says if you keep a third on your active, you can bring him up free.”

The San Francisco 49ers had a quarterback emergency in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles last season and they eventually had Christian McCaffrey taking snaps in a Wildcat formation.

The Niners’ situation did not influence Payton’s decision. The veteran coach will carry Russell Wilson and Jarrett Stidham on the active roster and Ben DiNucci on the practice squad this fall.

“What you had in Philadelphia versus San Francisco was a once in every four-year occurrence,” Payton said Tuesday. “We like the two guys who are on the roster, and we think we are going to have a good practice squad quarterback. That’s the approach we are going to take.

“Now, there are some teams that will keep a third on their active. It’s really just your decision on how you want to handle your 53. The new rule still requires you to keep a third on your 53. I will be anxious to see — let’s call it a week from now — how many teams have three on their 53. I’m sure there will be a few, but we will have a third in the building.”

Perhaps the NFL will consider allowing teams to have a practice squad QB not count against the game-day roster sometime down the road. That’s something that Payton would utilize, but the coach won’t carry DiNucci on the 53-man roster just to have a game-day roster exception in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Sean Payton thinks NFL’s fair catch rule will result in low kicks on the ground

During the regular season, Sean Payton thinks NFL teams will kick the ball low and on the ground to prevent a fair catch on kickoffs.

During preseason, most NFL teams will likely kick the ball high and short of the end zone to practice their kickoff coverage. And most teams fielding a kick will opt to return kickoffs to practice kickoff returns.

Once the regular season begins, though, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton expects teams to attempt to manipulate the NFL’s new fair catch rule.

“If you’re the kicking team and you’re not wanting it fair caught, then you have to keep it low and on the ground,” Payton said on Aug. 2. “We’ll work those situations, especially if there’s a foul on a scoring play and you’re kicking off from the 50-[yard line], if you just kick it into the air, they’re going to fair catch it and have it on the 25-[yard line] and you won’t realize any of your penalty yards.

“I think you’ll see teams be a little bit more aggressive there. Then in the field, a lot of it will be stuff we look at in practice.”

Starting this season, a fair catch on a kickoff will spot the ball at the receiving team’s 25-yard line, even if the kick is fielded inside the 25. It’s a new rule aimed at reducing the number of kickoff returns in a game since kickoffs are one of the leading plays for injuries in the sport.

Payton believes teams will try to prevent those fair catches by kicking the ball low and on the ground. That could certainly lead to some interesting scenarios — such as mishandled balls and balls going out of bounds — on kickoffs this fall. Time will tell if the NFL sticks with the new rule beyond the 2023 season.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos Wire podcast: Suspensions, Dalvin Cook, injuries and more

On the latest Broncos Wire podcast, Ryan O’Leary and Jon Heath discuss whether or not Denver should try to sign RB Dalvin Cook. Listen in!

As the slowest part of the NFL offseason drags on, the Broncos Wire podcast has returned for a mid-summer catchup episode.

The Denver Broncos have cut and signed several players since our last episode, so I joined host Ryan O’Leary to discuss the big news items that have happened since we last talked, including running back Dalvin Cook becoming a free agent.

You can listen to episode No. 81 below:

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Our unedited notes for this week’s pod can be seen below. 

Eyioma Uwazurike suspended indefinitely for gambling 
  • Name: E-yoh-mah Ooh-WHA-zah-REE-kay (He’s fine with “Innie”)
  • Innie was a 4th-round pick last year and played in eight games. He was a rotational defensive lineman and would have had a chance to compete for a larger role this summer.
  • He will miss at least the entire 2023 season and can’t apply for reinstatement until next year.
  • The Broncos were already thin on the defensive line.
Injury update: Good news for Javonte Williams, Tim Patrick
  • Broncos put WR KJ Hamler and DL Mike Purcell on non-football injury list
  • Denver put OLB Baron Browning and WR Kendall Hinton on PUP list
  • Javonte Williams (ACL) and Tim Patrick (ACL) were NOT placed on an injury list, a sign that they’ve been cleared for the start of training camp.
Brandon McManus was cut in May
  • McManus, 31, ranked 29th among kickers in field goal percentage (77.8%) last season. He was set to have the sixth-highest cap hit among kickers in 2023. Denver saved $3.75 million in salary cap space by releasing him.
  • McManus will be remembered for going a perfect 10-of-10 on field goal attempts during the 2015 playoffs, including 3-of-3 in Super Bowl 50. He was the last remaining player from the Super Bowl roster and he ends up second on the team’s all-time scoring list (946 points), only trailing Jason Elam.
  • It’s sad to see team legends get cut, but it’s understandable that the Broncos wanted to save salary cap space after McManus’ disappointing 2022 season.
So what’s the plan at kicker now?
  • Elliott Fry was signed in May, then the team added vet Brett Maher this month.
  • Fry had a good season in the AAF but he has only appeared in three NFL games in his career. Maher went 29-of-32 on FGs last season but got the yips in the playoffs and went 1-6 on extra point attempts in two postseason games.
  • Sean Payton has shown little patience for poor kicker play in the past — he burned through nine different kickers in his first ten years with the Saints before landing on Wil Lutz. (Maher kicked for Payton in 2021.)
OLB Frank Clark was signed and OT Cam Fleming was re-signed 
  • Fleming started 15 games last season. He will now serve as the team’s top backup swing tackle behind Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey.
  • Clark spent the last four years with the Chiefs, totaling 23.5 sacks and winning two Super Bowls. He’s a big-game player with 13.5 sacks in 13 playoff starts, including 2.5 sacks in the playoffs last year.
  • In an ideal world, Clark, 30, would be an excellent rotational pass rusher. With all the injuries Denver has had at OLB, though, he might start a bunch of games this season.
  • Randy Gregory is currently healthy, but Baron Browning underwent offseason knee surgery and will begin training camp on the PUP list. If Browning misses time early in the season, Gregory and Clark will start at OLB.
Dalvin Cook was cut by Minnesota — should Denver sign him?
  • Cook, 27, was drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2017 draft when George Paton was serving as Minnesota’s assistant GM and VP of player personnel.
  • George Payton likes to add RBs and Sean Payton has invested in the position in the past as well. If they can afford him, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Broncos try to sign Cook., but reports have downplayed the possibility.
  • Denver has the fourth-best odds to sign Cook behind the Pats, Dolphins and Jets.
  • Of note: Cook is set to go to trial next year for domestic abuse allegations from 2021.
We will return later in the offseason with new podcast episodes as news pops up. If you enjoy this podcast, you can check out previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your podcast service of choice. Please consider giving the podcast a positive rating and review!

You can listen to every past episode below or at this link.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Sean Payton thinks NFL’s fair catch rule will have unintended consequences

The NFL will spot kickoffs at the 25-yard line after a fair catch. Here’s why that could result in more drives starting at the 40-yard line.

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

The NFL made several rule changes this offseason, including spotting the ball at the 25-yard line after a fair catch on a kickoff.

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton was not necessarily in favor of that rule, in part because it will make it harder to benefit from shorter kickoffs following a penalty.

“There’ll be, strategically, more opportunities where teams who are kicking the ball decide not to kick it high,” Payton said on June 14. “Let’s say there’s a foul on a scoring play, and you have it on the 50-yard line. You kick it in the air, they fair catch it and it’s at the 25. You don’t realize any of the penalty. I was kind of pushing for if that were the case, I would have thought that we would have put the ball on the 10 to realize the 15-yard personal foul, but that’s not the case.”

Payton believes that there could be unintended consequences of this new rule. If teams start kicking the ball low, it could bounce near the sideline, giving a returner an opportunity to field it with a foot out of bounds. That would technically put the ball “out of bounds,” a penalty that spots the ball at the 40-yard line.

“The last thing we’re going to do — unless we’re late in the game — is put it high in the air and start at the 25. Because of that, you’re going to see balls on the ground more. We just did a straddle rule [at practice]. You guys have all seen those balls near the sideline and the returners kind of in that dilemma of is it going out of bounds? If they’ve got a foot that is on the paint of the sideline and then touch the ball in play, it’s out of bounds and it goes to the 40. We call it straddle. I think we’re going to see that situation probably tick up a little bit as a result of the rule change.”

So after the NFL made an effort to reduce kickoffs and spot the ball at the 25-yard line after a fair catch, the result could instead be more teams kicking the ball low — hoping for a return. More low kicks could lead to more kicks going out of bounds and more “straddle” situations, which could mean more drives starting at the 40-yard line instead of the 25-yard line.

Unless kickers can avoid the sidelines, coaches might lobby for the NFL’s new fair catch rule to be one-and-done after the 2023 season.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts