NFL owners approve new 2021 rules for replay, onside kicks

[tk13]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...es-2021-season

Owners rejected more robust proposals for a full-time sky judge, including one from the Baltimore Ravens that would have created a booth umpire. Instead, owners took the more modest step of giving the existing replay officials -- who sit in the press box of each stadium -- the authority to consult with referees on certain "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present," according to the language of the rule.

Replay officials will not be able to throw flags or reverse calls on their own. But they can now offer referees advice based on what they've seen on broadcast replays in the areas of possession, completed or intercepted passes, the location of the ball relative to the boundary or end line, and whether a player is down by contact. Previously, replay officials have been limited to participating in plays that were under review. Coaches will not have to throw challenge flags to prompt that advice, which some replay officials have been giving referees informally for years.

In other news regarding Wednesday's votes, NFL owners:

• Approved a relaxation of rules for the numbers that players of certain positions can wear because of expanded practice squads. Running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, defensive backs and linebackers can all wear numbers in the single digits if they choose. Based on preexisting NFL rules, players who want to change their numbers this season will have to buy out the inventory of the NFL's manufacturing partners. This wouldn't apply to players who give notice in 2021 that they want to change numbers in 2022.
  
  
• Approved a one-year experiment in an attempt to make it easier to recover onside kicks. In 2021, the receiving team on kickoffs will be limited to nine players within 25 yards of the ball. Last season, NFL teams recovered only three of 67 onside kicks, the lowest total and recovery rate since at least 2001. As a result, the Philadelphia Eagles tabled a proposal that would have given teams an option to gain 15 yards on one offensive play from their own 25-yard line to retain possession after a score.
  
  
• Tabled a rule that would have expanded the area where players are prohibited from blocking below the waist. McKay said that there is enough support to pass the rule now, but that several teams had questions that will take some time to address. It could be revisited next month.
  
  
• Eliminated overtime in preseason games.
  
  
• Changed a rule that will now force a loss of down if two passes are completed behind the line of scrimmage.
  
  
• Approved a rule change that ensures the enforcement of all accepted penalties during successive try attempts, defined as an opportunity for a team to score one or two additional points during one scrimmage down.
  
  
• Did not act on a "spot or choose" proposal from the Ravens for the winner of the overtime coin toss. In that scenario, the team would have the option to choose either which team will have the first possession of overtime or where the ball would be spotted.
  
  
• Decided to include taunting among its points of emphasis for 2021. McKay clarified that the emphasis wouldn't be directed at celebrations but toward acrimonious interaction among players.
  
  
• Completed a study of the sharp drop in offensive holding during the 2020 season. McKay said that Walt Anderson, the NFL's senior vice president of training and development, would clarify the standard and put together a video for teams to consume before the 2021 season.

[Hammock Parties]

The rules on player numbers is going to cause some ****ups when defenses get in the wrong personnel package.

Mark my words, some dipshit is going to mistake a WR wearing 40 for a FB and it will be 6.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

The rules on player numbers is going to cause some ****ups when defenses get in the wrong personnel package.

Mark my words, some dipshit is going to mistake a WR wearing 40 for a FB and it will be 6.

I'm pretty sure most if not all NFL players can distinguish between colors.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

I'm pretty sure most if not all NFL players can distinguish between colors.

Read the post again and try to understand.

[Discuss Thrower]

Yeah I'm totally lost on this take. I'm pretty sure by the time the regular season rolls around the receivers can all have the same number and the starting QB will still know which guys he wants to prioritize in his first two reads.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Yeah I'm totally lost on this take.

Whoever's calling the package on defense mistakes a WR for a FB because of his number.

Might be even worse if offenses try to take advantage and line the WR up in the backfield.

[carlos3652]

so buy buy any pass backs on last second chances... basically you cant lateral backwards if you are behind the line of scrimmage.

So you cant check down on a flea flicker?

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

They're talking about the play where Brady threw a pass, it was batted back to him and then he threw it again.

There was a penalty, but all that mean was it was 3 & 15 instead of 3&5.

LA wanted to be certain if something like that happened again, it was a 10 yard penalty and loss of down, just like intentional grounding.

[Peter Gibbons]

Originally Posted by RickObie

Changed a rule that will now force a loss of down if two passes are completed behind the line of scrimmage.

What does that actually mean..If a team throws it behind the line on 2nd and 3rd down they lose 4th down?

This is probably the real reason Alex Smith retired.
You know, tragedy + time = humor. Is it too soon?

[eDave]

Originally Posted by Peter Gibbons

This is probably the real reason Alex Smith retired.
You know, tragedy + time = humor. Is it too soon?

Why do you say that?

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by Fish

Well, now we know why Alex Smith retired...

Well ****, I came here to make this same ****ing joke. You stole it.

[ThyKingdomCome15]

Originally Posted by RickObie

Changed a rule that will now force a loss of down if two passes are completed behind the line of scrimmage.

What does that actually mean..If a team throws it behind the line on 2nd and 3rd down they lose 4th down?

This is a Tom Brady rule. He caught his own deflected pass and slung it to make it fourth down. The Rams declined the penalty to get it to fourth down. The pass counted. Now you can accept the penalty and the pass won't count.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

Whoever's calling the package on defense mistakes a WR for a FB because of his number.

Might be even worse if offenses try to take advantage and line the WR up in the backfield.

Got it.

Still dunno if I agree that'll be a thing. Does it happen in college?

[alpha_omega]

So an onside attempt is now a 9 on 11 situation?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

So an onside attempt is now a 9 on 11 situation?

In 2021, the receiving team on kickoffs will be limited to nine players within 25 yards of the ball

[wazu]

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

So an onside attempt is now a 9 on 11 situation?

More like 9 on 10 since can't really count the kicker.