NFL owners are changing up the game of professional football. During the league’s annual meeting which was recently held in Phoenix, the Competition Committee proposed six rule changes and the owners approved them all. They eradicated one rule and approved five others.

As for what they eliminated…the “Tuck Rule.” The rule which was introduced in 1999 which primarily affected the quarterback reads as follows:

 

When an offensive player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble. [NFL]

 

Well not anymore. Going forward, if a player begins to bring the ball back to his body after an attempt to throw the ball and loses possession, it will be deemed a fumble as opposed to an incomplete pass.

 

As for what rules the committee proposed and the owners approved they read as follows:

 

  • It is a foul if a runner or tackler initiates forcible contact by delivering a blow with the top/crown of his helmet against an opponent when both players are clearly outside the tackle box (an area extending from tackle to tackle and from three yards beyond the line of scrimmage to the offensive team’s end line). Incidental contact by the helmet of a runner or tackler against an opponent shall not be a foul.” Penalties for this offense will be a loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down if committed by the defense.

 

  • Replay rules will now allow a review to take place when a coach challenges a play that is automatically reviewed by the replay official. Previously, if a coach threw a challenge flag on an automatically reviewable play, the team would be penalized 15 yards and no review would take place.
  • “Peel back” blocks below the waist are now illegal in the tackle box. Penalties for this infraction will be a loss of 15 yards.

 

  • During a field goal or extra point attempt, the defense may not have more than six players one the line of scrimmage on either side of the long-snapper. These illegal formation penalties will be a loss of five yards from the previous spot. Defensive teams cannot push their teammates into the offensive formation on field goal or extra point attempts. Violations of this “unnecessary roughness” penalty will incur a loss of 15 yards from the previous spot.

 

  • Tight ends and H-backs are now permitted to wear jersey numbers 40-49.

 

While some are already in an uproar about and not in agreement meant with some of the rule changes, only time will tell how much the changes will truly affect the game.