NFL approves rule changes, tweaks overtime and celebration penalties

Hailey Hernandez

NFL approves rule changes, tweaks overtime and celebration penalties image

The NFL on Tuesday announced a number of rule changes that will affect key aspects of the game on and off the field during the 2017 season.

After an initial proposal made in March, the league owners in Chicago voted in favor of reducing preseason and regular-season overtime periods from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.

Cutting off five minutes from the overtime period is supposed help address safety concerns with the physical toll of teams on a short week who play extended time on Sunday and then turn around to play again on Thursday.

According to NFL Research, in the last five seasons more than a quarter of overtime games lasted at least 10 minutes, while the average overtime duration was 7 minutes and 43 seconds.

Will this allow for more tie games? Maybe.

According to Operations.NFL.com, 526 regular-season games have been decided in overtime, with the most recent example being the New England Patriots' win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. There were two ties in 2016, one between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals and the other a week later between the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals.

MORE: Suggestions for NFL overtime

The second change brings relief to fans and players alike. The NFL has agreed to relax penalties for celebrations. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league had been meeting with more than 80 current and former players in order to clear up the rules and give players more freedom to express themselves.

In 2016 alone, 30 celebratory acts were flagged, compared to 34 total from three seasons during 2013-2015. During Week 13, 49ers cornerback Rashard Robinson was penalized for making a snow angel on the ground. During the same week, Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb was not penalized for celebrating in the same snow angel style.

The NFL's goal is to make celebration penalties more consistent without disrupting the flow of the game.

In a letter to fans sent Tuesday, Goodell said, “We know that you love the spontaneous displays of emotion that come after a spectacular touchdown. And players have told us they want more freedom to be able to express themselves and celebrate their athletic achievements.

"In my conversations with NFL players, it was also clear how much our players care about sportsmanship, clean competition, and setting good examples for young athletes. That is why offensive demonstrations, celebrations that are prolonged and delay the game, and those directed at an opponent, will still be penalized."

The NFL is allowing some harmless activity such as group celebrations, using the ball as a prop and snow angels. But miming weapons, offensive gestures and sexually suggestive actions such as twerking are among those that will remain banned.

MORE: Guide to new celebration rules

In terms of roster moves, the NFL decided to eliminate the reduction from 90 players to 75 players that occurs in between Week 3 and Week 4 of the preseason. Instead, teams will go straight from 90 to 53 players following the final preseason game. This means each team will be required to cut at least 37 players, allowing for the release of a total of 1,184 players to be let go before the start of the regular season.

Eliminating this step in roster reduction is likely to make the final week of exhibition games more of a contest for players on the line of being cut and create a scramble for teams finalizing Week 1 rosters.

The fourth and final rule change allows a second player to return from injured reserve. Previously, only one could be recalled from IR during the season.

Now two players a season are allowed to return to practice if they have been on the IR for at least six weeks. This eliminates teams having to choose who to bring back and gives them more flexibility as late-season games and postseason factors come into play.

Hailey Hernandez