UNDATED (AP) — NFL owners approved several rules on Thursday without accepting an alternative to the onside kick.
Owners have tabled a proposal that would have offered a fourth-and-15 play as an alternative to the onside kick. Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay said there were more clubs receptive to the onside kick alternative than in the past and it will be further explored and likely brought up again.
Owners approved testing expanded use of video replay in the preseason to aid in officiating, and they also increased the number of players who may be designated for return from the injured list during a season from two to three.
The owners voted to make permanent the expansion of automatic replay reviews to include scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul, and any successful or unsuccessful extra points.
Also approved was the competition committee's recommendation to expand defenseless player protection to a kickoff or punt returner who is in possession of the ball but has not had time to avoid or ward off contact of an opponent.
Another approved recommendation stops teams from manipulating the game clock by committing multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running. That’s an issue that came up several times in 2019, including during the postseason.
Using video replay for pass interference calls was dropped after a one-year experiment that led to more uncertainty than clarity.
A proposal to have a booth judge serve as an eighth official on each crew was tabled.