NFL Passes No-Leaping Rule

Today, the Philadelphia Eagles proposed rule change was decided on by the NFL owners…. as passed. The one new rule will now prohibit an offensive lineman from jumping over the line to block a snap.

“The jumping over on the field goal, I think, is just leading to a really dangerous play for everybody,” offensive lineman Eric Winston, the NFL Players Association’s (NFLPA) president told the Washington Post. “If you jump over the center, the jumper is in a really bad spot. He can land on his head. I think the guys that are getting jumped over are going to end up getting hurt, with those guys landing on them. So I’ll be very interested to see what they’ll do there. I think something probably needs to be done.”

This is a play that has lead to some exciting plays like when the offense gets the ball back that leads to them scoring from it. The new rule change was endorsed by both the NFL and the NFLPA

This wasn’t the only rule change they voted on… here are the 9 other rules listed on the NFL Network’s site:

1. The NFL passed a rule for automatic ejections for egregious hits to the head, Rapoport reported. This new rule comes a year after the league installed an automatic ejection system for players who committed two personal fouls in the same game. 

 

Translation: Expect college-like targeting calls to lead to ejections. 

  

2. The Washington Washington Football Team‘ proposal to place the ball at the 20-yard-line if the kicker puts it through the uprights on a kickoff failed, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported. 

 

3. The owners approved centralized replay, giving senior VP of officiating Dean Blandino and the New York command center final say on calls in question, NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones reported. 

 

4. Touchbacks on kickoffs will once again result in teams starting from the 25-yard line. The rule was renewed by team owners for another year rather than being made permanent. 

 

5. Receivers running pass routes are now being given defenseless player protection. 

 

6. Crackback blocks are now prohibited by a backfield player in motion, even if he’s not more than two yards outside the tackle box when the ball is snapped. 

 

7. Unsportsmanlike penalties will be issued to players who commit multiple fouls during the same down in an effort to manipulate the game clock. 

 

8. Similarly, action to conserve time after the two-minute warning of either half would be considered illegal and would result in a penalty now. 

 

9. Ejections for two unsportsmanlike fouls in a single game, which was introduced last season, is now a permanent rule.

They probably know that some players and fans will have issue with the new rules, but  we’ll just have to see how this upcoming season turns out.

Via:nfl