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There will likely be some changes to replay assist and an expansion of onside kick opportunities.
One of the most curious pieces of the NFL’s new kickoff rules in 2024 was the decision to restrict when teams can elect to attempt an onside kick. Previously, teams could attempt an onside kick at any point but last season they were restricted to only being able to try to retain possession if trailing in the fourth quarter.
With the NFL set to vote on some rules changes soon as part of the league’s annual meetings, that particular restriction is likely to ease up. The league’s competition committee is proposing to allow a team to attempt an onside kick at any time in the game if they are losing.
Will this increase the number of onside kick attempts by a dramatic number? Probably not. But it does at least allow some more flexibility in strategy, even if those kicks are still highly unlikely to succeed.
But beyond that change and the expected movement of a touchback up to the 35-yard line — which should increase the number of kickoff returns by a substantial amount — there should also be some changes coming to replay that should help eliminate penalties on plays that clearly should not have been penalized.
Poor Patrick Mahomes. If this rule change goes through, replay assist can look at a play and cancel out a penalty if he is hit in bounds but a referee throws a flag anyway.
Don’t expect the Packers’ push to eliminate the Brotherly Shove to succeed and get adopted. But if a rules proposal comes from the competition committee, it’s almost certain to pass, so expect the kickoff and replay tweaks to go into effect for 2025.
NFL competition committee proposes expanded use of replay, making dynamic kickoff permanent - The Athletic ($)
In addition to the touchback spot moving and the onside kick expansion, there is also a proposal to use replay assist to change objective penalty calls by officials — things like facemasks and hits out of bounds — when there is clear evidence that no foul occurred.
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