NFL Changes Rule Without Owners’ Approval

Hey Folks,

The NFL Competition Committee was formed in 1968 to give teams a voice in how the game’s rules evolve. Major changes require a vote from ownership. Most rule adjustments still follow that process. This summer, however, the league quietly updated one procedure without a full vote, one allowing head coaches to designate a sideline staff member to throw the red challenge flag.

NFL Announces Major Rule Change Without Approval From All 32 Owners

Head coaches can now hand off one responsibility during the game to an assistant.

Another day of training camps is officially in the books! Here are our key takeaways from the recent sessions:

• There’s good news for 49ers fans. After a long-time spent on the sidelines, George Kittle is back on the field running a few non-contact drills.

• The Detroit Lions’ off-season acquisition, Cade Mays, has gone out with a wrist injury over the weekend. He may be on the sidelines well into the season, with an estimate being 8-10 weeks.

• Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are putting up a fight for the starting QB job. Tagovailoa’s red zone efficiency has been impressive while Penix Jr. has delivered deep balls. If Penix Jr. manages his injury recovery well, we might see an entertaining battle during the pre-season games.

• Jaxson Dart is preparing well for his second season, scrambling for a gain and making a pass to Darius Slayton, who completed 50 yards.

• The Dallas Cowboys will take on the Los Angeles Rams later today in scrimmage practice. It will be the first test for the rebuilt Cowboys against a Super Bowl favorite. 

In January 1989, the NFL changed two rules less than two hours before the AFC Championship Game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.

Commissioner Pete Rozelle and supervisor of officials Art McNally announced the adjustments on the day of the game: teams were barred from feigning injuries, and any offensive play before the two-minute warning that gained an “unreasonable and unfair advantage” through a quick snap would be nullified and replayed.

The Bengals, known for a fast-tempo offense, had operated under the previous rules all season. The late announcement forced an immediate adjustment with no time for practice or preparation. The episode remains one of the rarest and least-remembered examples of how abruptly the league can alter the rules when it believes competitive integrity is at stake.

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