Eagles' NFL Rule Change for Onside Kick Alternative Fails to Get Approved Again

The Philadelphia Eagles' proposal of an alternative to an onside kick was not approved, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The proposal consisted of a team having a new option to retain the ball after scoring a touchdown or a field goal. In order to earn consecutive possessions, teams would have to convert a fourth-and-20 at their own 20-yard line.

This represented the fifth consecutive year that proposed onside kick alternatives have not been implemented (via Pelissero).

In the full proposal, Philadelphia included specific guidelines such as teams being limited to only two fourth-and-20 tries during a game. Teams also must be trailing in order to attempt the conversion and must notify the referee of the decision.

In 2018, the NFL introduced new rules for kickoffs that have impacted the success of onside kicks. The league prohibited players on the kicking team from getting a running start prior to the kick, while there must be five players on either side of the kicker before the play begins.

Through Week 10 of the 2023 season, teams recovered their own onside kicks just 5.6 percent of the time (via NFL.com). Prior to the 2018 rule change, the recovery rate for onside kicks was 13.5 percent.

Despite the lack of change in recent years, it doesn't appear that the door is completely shut on an updated format for trailing teams attempting to gain an extra possession. NFL Competition Committee Chairman Rich McKay revealed that discussions will continue to take place in the future.

"There will be another date and time for that discussion," McKay said, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "There's no question the traditionalists don't like that discussion."

For now, the current onside kick format will remain in place for the 2024 season.