What NFL rules changes would you like to see?

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Today you control the NFL rules committee with dictatorial powers to demand changes.
 

(1) Give me an existing rule you would either (a) take away completely, (b) just tweak a bit, or (2) add your own rule, and why? 

 

So many categories to choose from…DPI, kickoffs, fumbling into the end zone touchbacks, uniforms or celebrations to name but a few.

 

There is a great video primer on the existing rule book narrated by none other than Rich Eisen, located here: https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-video-rulebook/

 

I’ll start. Through the years the NFL has managed to muddle the answer to what should be a simple question—what is a catch? While some of the most egregious portions of the convoluted Rule 8, Section 1, Articles 3-4 have been amended since the infamous Dez Bryant no catch of 2014, it hasn’t been reworked since 2018’s removal of “surviving the ground” language, but because of other notes contained in the rule, the same call problems remain:

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-catch-rules-2023-explained/gsuetg81khhjariyrqhgulzy#:~:text="How do we make this,secure and control the ball.

After all, what could be more crystal clear than the 3rd catch component of “a football move?” <sigh>.
 

A fun compilation of controversial calls for your recollecting pleasure in this regard:

https://youtu.be/ZgbKNgXrFXs?feature=shared

My rules committee by fiat will adopt Larry Fitzgerald’s definition of a catch as outlined by Bill Barnwell all the way back in 2017:

“If a receiver catches the ball and gets two feet, a knee, an elbow or a cheek on the ground, it's a catch. If he stays upright and the ball is stripped out of his hands or he bobbles it, the ball becomes a live fumble.

Doesn't that feel refreshingly simple and comprehensible? We still need to come up with a clear definition of "catch," but let's try to keep that to the shortest possible definition. Maybe it becomes a catch at the moment when the receiver grabs the ball in his hands without bobbling it. Perhaps you put a time frame on it, like the receiver cradles the ball for a half-second or a full second.”

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21798623/three-options-fix-nfl-catch-rule-2017

Anyway enough of my ranting, what rule or rules do you need to see changed, removed or added?

[Doc Brown]

-Defensive holding and illegal contact is ten yards but not an automatic first down.

-If an offensive player fumbles the ball through the opponents end zone then the ball will be placed 10 yards behind where the fumble occurred with the offense getting to keep the ball on the next down.  If some defender pulls a Leon Lett then the offense takes over first and 10 from the opponents 11.

 

Also, move the Super Bowl to Saturday night or the Sunday before President's day.  

[BuffaloBillyG]

There are a lot of rules that can be tweaked, improved, eliminated ect.

 

The one thing I would change when it comes to rules is the enforcement of the rules themselves. Many of the rules are subjective and depend on the judgement call of the refs. And I get the "human element" of it all and that they can only see what they see. They have to see it in real time and at real speed with 1,000, things happening all around them. It's a much tougher job than Joe Fan wants to admit. However, in a day where the NFL fines players every week for miniscule things such as blocking...the errors made weekly by the officials go by without them being held accountable.

 

But we do have the technology now to assist them. And that's what I think they should do. There should be an Electric Official assigned every game to call obvious penalties, overrule the bad calls and things like that.

 

Furthermore, when there is a replay I wish the NFL would do what the XFL (or maybe it was one of the other "spring leagues" did...they all kinda blend together) and show the replay official in the booth with live audio so we can hear what they are doing/saying in the review process. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Get rid of pass interference as a concept.

 

RETVRN to old-school football

 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

3 minutes ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Get rid of pass interference as a concept.

 

RETVRN to old-school football

 

💯 agree that DPI has morphed into a frankensteinian bloated mess where the QB seems to be rewarded a 50/50 shot at a free flag just for chucking it long—an immediate bandaid fix would seem to be limiting the penalty to 10-15 yards instead of a spot foul? 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Allow coaches challenge via instant replay for everything. The game is too fast for the refs on the field. One bad holding call or roughing the passer call can change the outcome of the game. Everything should be reviewed. 

They tried it with pass interference but the NFL killed it by not overturning calls that should have been overturned.  The NFL would need to commit to getting the call correct or use a third party to review all challenges. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

12 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

💯 agree that DPI has morphed into a frankensteinian bloated mess where the QB seems to be rewarded a 50/50 shot at a free flag just for chucking it long—an immediate bandaid fix would seem to be limiting the penalty to 10-15 yards instead of a spot foul? 

I'm talking NO PI at all.

 

bring back defense

 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

10 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Allow coaches challenge via instant replay for everything. The game is too fast for the refs on the field. One bad holding call or roughing the passer call can change the outcome of the game. Everything should be reviewed. 

They tried it with pass interference but the NFL killed it by not overturning calls that should have been overturned.  The NFL would need to commit to getting the call correct or use a third party to review all challenges. 

I like the independent monitoring idea similar to the neuro who’s supposed to yank players exhibiting signs of concussion from the field of play—but who would be qualified (besides TBD members 😎) to do this? Former officials paid by whom? 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

5 minutes ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

I'm talking NO PI at all.

 

bring back defense

 

Bringing back the helmet earhole slap or removing the QB pass rush rules they’ve added since the 90’s would be more immediate boons for legit old school D imho 😁

[Mr. WEO]

eliminate offensive holding penalty.  it's pointless to call occasionally a penalty that happens on every play.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

1 hour ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

I like the independent monitoring idea similar to the neuro who’s supposed to yank players exhibiting signs of concussion from the field of play—but who would be qualified (besides TBD members 😎) to do this? Former officials paid by whom? 

Paid by Vegas of course...lol

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

There are a lot of rules that can be tweaked, improved, eliminated ect.

 

The one thing I would change when it comes to rules is the enforcement of the rules themselves. Many of the rules are subjective and depend on the judgement call of the refs. And I get the "human element" of it all and that they can only see what they see. They have to see it in real time and at real speed with 1,000, things happening all around them. It's a much tougher job than Joe Fan wants to admit. However, in a day where the NFL fines players every week for miniscule things such as blocking...the errors made weekly by the officials go by without them being held accountable.

 

But we do have the technology now to assist them. And that's what I think they should do. There should be an Electric Official assigned every game to call obvious penalties, overrule the bad calls and things like that.

 

Furthermore, when there is a replay I wish the NFL would do what the XFL (or maybe it was one of the other "spring leagues" did...they all kinda blend together) and show the replay official in the booth with live audio so we can hear what they are doing/saying in the review process. 

💯 

 

 

[Process]

Agree with Doc that defensive holding /illegal contact should not be an automatic first down. The holding calls were out of control last year, and they are significant/ game changing penalties right now with how they extend drives. Which is ridiculous for what are usually ticky tak calls that are not called consistently. 

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

eliminate offensive holding penalty.  it's pointless to call occasionally a penalty that happens on every play.

Also agree with this, with the exception that it should still exist for egregious instances only. An o lineman wraps his arm around a guys neck, or grabs a fist full of jersey from behind etc. 

 

Edited May 23 by Process

[HappyDays]

How about one rule change to ruin the sport? The QB gets a 15 yard penalty if he leaves the pocket, and the size of the pocket is determined subjectively by an umpire standing behind the field of play.

 

Edited May 23 by HappyDays

[First Round Bust]

18 game schedule with 2 bye weeks and super bowl played during the Dead Presidents day holiday weekend (Sunday)

 

Players drafted during current season are exempt from being cut and can be placed on practice squad for entire year for development purposes without loss to other teams, protects-justifies the scouting and development process. If called-up from PS then can exposed to waivers and other teams, etc.

 

NFL sponsorhip of Punt Pass Kick kids compeition during spring and summer with events held before pre-season games which will have a day-long kids and family them and entertainment (NFL alumni, on-field activities, autographs, etc)

 

NFL sponsorship of a national flag football league at various age levels to include kids and adul league with ex-jocks-coaches running coaching seminars and coach clinics with championship games held during the weekend between conference championship game and super bowl.

 

 

[HappyDays]

In all seriousness I would add a 2nd bye week, one in the first 8 games and one in the last 9 games with at least a 4 week gap between byes. It's criminal that they haven't already done this.

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

Enforcement of the play clock is generally poor.  Have an audio alarm in the earpiece of a referee who watches the snap.  If the alarm precedes the snap, throw the flag and stop the play.  Seems like a better approach than a guy watching the clock and then looking for the snap.

[Fleezoid]

Get rid of the illegal contact rule. it's called sporadically at best, and usually out of the blue at the most inopportune times. There is contact on every receiver on almost every pass play! It's a useless rule.

 

Suspend officials for flagrant bad calls or flagrant missed calls!

[NoHuddleKelly12]

16 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

In all seriousness I would add a 2nd bye week, one in the first 8 games and one in the last 9 games with at least a 4 week gap between byes. It's criminal that they haven't already done this.

I think not for nothing the wave of injuries we’ve seen the last few years is also relatable in part to lack of sufficient recovery time for the players. 

[Shaw66]

Yes, there are plenty of things that could change.  The fumble into the end zone and out of bounds.   The automatic first downs against the defense.

 

But I think they've done some good things.  They actually did a good job cleaning up the what's a catch mess.  There are very few plays no where it feels like some team get hosed big-time on that rule. 

 

If I could do one thing, I'd have instant booth reviews on almost everything.  I'd have an official in a press box with access to all the video and with a direct line into the headsets of officials on the field.   In basketball, there are plenty of missed calls, but for most of the game, they are inconsequential.  It's only two points, they tend to even out, etc.   But in football, a missed called easily can be one of the most important plays in the game.  A missed call easily can change the outcome of the game.  College football already has shown that you can make such a system work.  Instant booth reviews are the one thing that could be done to reduce the officials being the reason a game ended the way it did. 

 

If there were booth reviews, then the coaches' challenges would be less important.   If they don't go to booth reviews of everything, then I've always thought the limits on coaches' challenges.   Every time a coach is correct on a challenge, the coach should get another challenge.   The idea of limiting the number of challenges was so that the game isn't unnecessarily prolonged by reviews.   However, if a coach challenges a call and is correct, why shouldn't he get another?  After all, all he's done is fix an official's mistake, and everyone should be in favor of that.