NFL Rules 2017: Team Owners Approve Proposed Changes on Major Game Policies
During the annual National Football League meeting, team owners agreed on several proposed changes in the game's rules and policies.
All in all, NFL team owners supported the installation of eight new rules in the league while seven other proposals did not get the needed votes to make the cut. The recenp t NFL annual meeting was held in Phoenix, Arizona on March 26-29.
One of the major changes approved has something to do with leaping blocks. In the NFL 2017 rule book, officials will no longer allow players to leap over blockers. This move has been a known strategy for players to prevent the kick on field goals and extra-point plays.
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According to ESPN, the approval of such changes also has something to do with potential safety concerns since there is always the possibility of a player being "flipped in the air by blockers" once they go for the leap.
Meanwhile, the NFL bosses have also agreed to let more people pitch in on finalizing replay decisions. In the 2016 NFL rulebook, referees were required to go under the "hood" where replay monitors are placed, review the incident and change the call if they deem it necessary.
With the new rule, referees will be handed a handheld device once he needs to go to the sideline to review a play. They are still part of the decision-making process since the referees will still have to forward his recommendation to the rest of the NFL central officiating staff.
However, the final say will reportedly come from central officiating staff senior vice president, Dean Blandino, or someone from his supervisory staff. These people, during every game, are watching plays as they happen in a command center in New York, ESPN adds.
On the other hand, some of the proposals that will not make it to the NFL 2017 rulebook include shortening the preseason and regular season overtime periods to 10 minutes, added protections to long snappers during kick plays, coaches having the power to question officials' decisions, and more.
