Report: NFL Owners Table Onside Kick Alternative, Vote on More Rule Change Proposals

While NFL owners approved a proposal to allow players to wear No. 0 in 2023, several proposals were shot down by the league's 32 owners on Tuesday.

NFL owners tabled a proposal to replace the onside kick with a fourth-and-20 alternative, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. They also tabled a kickoff proposal for any fair catch inside the 25-yard line to be spotted at the 25-yard line.

Additionally, owners shot down proposals for the following:

• Making roughing the passer reviewable by replay
• Allowing teams to list an emergency third quarterback on game day
• Allowing a wild-card team to be seeded ahead of a below-.500 division winner
• Changing the punt touchback to the 25-yard line

The XFL has a similar onside-kick alternative in place. Instead of attempting an onside kick, the league allows teams to choose to line up at their own 25-yard line and face a fourth-and-15.

If they convert, they retain possession. If they don't, the opposing team takes over wherever the play ended.

The rule was on full display during a Feb. 19 matchup between the St. Louis BattleHawks and the San Antonio Brahmas.

With 90 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Brahmas held a 15-3 lead over the BattleHawks and the game appeared to be over. However, BattleHawks quarterback A.J. McCarron threw a 17-yard touchdown pass and the team made a three-point conversion to cut the lead to 15-12.

The BattleHawks then used the onside kick alternative, retained possession, posted a 22-yard gain and McCarron went on to toss a game-winning touchdown.

It's certainly an interesting alternative, and it's possible the NFL could make it a reality in the coming months with the proposal having been tabled.

As for making roughing the passer reviewable, this stems from several controversial roughing the passer flags over the last few seasons.

However, the competition committee found last month that only three of the 80 roughing the passer calls they reviewed were considered "questionable," so it's no surprise this rule proposal was shot down.

In terms of allowing a wild-card team to be seeded above a below-.500 division winner, this was proposed after the Los Angeles Chargers had to play the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road in the AFC Wild Card Round last season despite finishing with a better record.

The emergency quarterback proposal was floated by the San Francisco 49ers, whose 2022 campaign came to an end in the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles because they didn't have a healthy quarterback available when Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson got hurt.

Not every proposal is going to be approved, but it's clear the NFL is working toward making the game better with several rule changes having been approved this offseason.