A week before NFL front-office and team executives, coaches, media and more were scheduled to meet in Phoenix for the annual league meeting, the league's competition committee was out in the desert discussing the rules proposals that would be addressed. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent called it "a final tune-up" before the annual meeting.
And there were plenty of proposals to discuss.
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At the annual meeting next week, NFL teams and the committee will present their proposals to all 32 team owners. A new rule (or a revision of an existing rule) requires approval of 24 of the 32 team owners (75 percent) to be adopted.
As one might expect after the debacle that was the Chiefs' overtime loss to the Patriots in last season's AFC championship game — after which many, including Sporting News, criticized the NFL's OT rule that prohibited Kansas City from getting a chance to score after New England's game-winning touchdown — a proposal to allow both teams at least one OT possession is being submitted — by the Chiefs.
Also predictable are proposals that relate to the expansion of opportunities for replay review, given the fallout from the other conference title game, the Rams' win over the Saints in the NFC, regarding a missed pass interference penalty.
Compliments of NFL operations, below are all the rule changes that will be proposed and voted upon next week in Phoenix, plus the teams that are proposing them.
NFL rule changes: Proposals for 2019
- Allow both teams the opportunity to possess the ball at least one time in overtime, even if the first team to possess the ball in overtime scores a touchdown. (Chiefs)
- Eliminate overtime for preseason. (Chiefs)
- Eliminate overtime coin toss so that winner of initial coin toss to begin game may choose whether to kick or receive, or which goal to defend. (Chiefs)
- Provide an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team that is trailing in the game an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball after scoring. (Broncos)
- Subject all plays that occur during a game to coaches' challenge by teams or review by the officiating department in the instant replay system. (Redskins)
- Add review of personal fouls as reviewable plays in the instant replay system. (Redskins)
- Add review of personal fouls (called or not called on the field) as plays subject to coaches' challenge in the instant replay system. (Chiefs)
- Add review of designated player safety-related fouls (called or not called on the field) as plays subject to coaches’ challenge in the instant replay system. (Panthers, Rams, Eagles, Seahawks)
- Add scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul to be subject to automatic review in the instant replay system. (Eagles)
- Add all fourth down plays that are spotted short of the line to gain or goal line to be subject to automatic review in the instant replay system. (Broncos)
- Add all try attempts (extra point or two-point conversion) to be subject to automatic review in the instant replay system. (Broncos)