With the end of the 24’-25’ NFL season this past February and the 25’-26’ NFL season rapidly approaching, many changes have come about in order to improve the fairness of the game. While there have been many suggestions made for changes to the NFL’s core ruleset, I will only be speaking about the four confirmed changes for the 25’-26’ season.
- Overtime Rule Change
After Sixteen games went to overtime in this past season, the NFL saw fit to alter the regular season overtime rules to be closer to the playoff rule set. With this change, both teams will be able to possess the ball during overtime. However, unlike the playoffs, the 10 minute period limit will remain for the regular season.
2. Kickoff Touchback Rule
Kickoffs have always been one of the most electrifying and unpredictable moments in football, but they also carry significant injury risks, particularly due to high-speed collisions. To reduce injuries while increasing the change for dynamic returns, the NFL has made a few adjustments to the kickoff rules.
One of the most noticeable changes is the shift of the touchback spot from the 25-yard line to the 35-yard line. This adjustment aims to bring more strategy into kickoffs by making the decision to take a knee more appealing. Kickers will be more inclined to give their teammates a chance to stop the returners before the 35-yard line by having the ball land before the end zone rather than inside or out of bounds. Thus giving both sides of the ball the opportunity to create big plays, potentially leading to more excitement in the game.
However, the league is also mindful of the safety risks involved with kickoffs. The change is designed to strike a balance between increasing the excitement of returns while minimizing the dangers of high-impact collisions that can occur during a kickoff. The NFL’s approach reflects its ongoing efforts to prioritize player safety without sacrificing the action that makes the game so thrilling.
3. Expanded Replay Assistance
Another important rule change for the 25’-26’ season involves the expansion of replay assistance for the officials. IN the past, the league’s replay system was primarily used to review scoring plays and certain turnovers. However, this new rule allows officials to use replay to correct “clear and obvious errors” on a wider range of calls, including some penalty decisions.
This expanded use of replay should help improve the accuracy of officiating, ensuring that the game is decided by fair and correct calls. It also gives referees the ability to revisit key moments in the game, helping to prevent potentially game-changing mistakes from impacting the outcome. While this change is meant to improve the integrity of the game it may also slow down the pace of play as more reviews are conducted.
4. Injured Reserve Adjustments
In the past, there have been many events of roster manipulation with the prospect of wanting to keep injured players that could become healthy during the season and be designated to return. Before the rule change, players on the Injured Reserve (IR) had to be on the initial 53-man roster, and then be moved to the IR after cut day. This led to teams being forced to cut a player from their roster to make space for the injured player, only to hire the cut player back the next day after the shift.
This caused a lot of stress for teams and players over the years, and finally the new rule change has made this less of a headache for the league. With the new rule in effect, teams will not need to carry the injured player on the 53-man roster for a day before moving them to the IR. Additionally, teams can now put two players on IR on cut day and designate them to return.
However, with these benefits there are also some drawbacks, as players who are placed on the IR and are set to return will count toward the limit of eight players who can return from the IR during the season. Thus limiting the number of players who can return from in-season injuries.