NFL Reportedly Approves Rule Changes for Expanded Replay and Regular-Season OT

The NFL has reportedly approved two rule changes for the 2025 season, but the tush push discussion is going to be pushed into the future.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, owners have tabled the proposal to ban the tush push for now.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported league owners did vote in favor of allowing both teams to possess the ball in overtime and expanded replay assistance.

A new rule change was also implemented, with touchbacks on kickoffs coming out to the 35-yard-line, according to Russini:

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions' proposal to eliminate automatic first downs for defensive holding and illegal contact penalties did not receive enough votes for approval.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the league also tabled the Lions' proposal related to playoff seeding that would have allowed wild-card teams with better regular-season records than division champions to host a postseason game.

There are a total of five rule-change proposals being voted on by the league's owners at the annual meetings this week.

The overtime change was proposed by the Philadelphia Eagles to align the rules for the regular season and playoffs. They also proposed returning the regular-season overtime period to 15 minutes, instead of the 10 minutes it has been since 2017.

Giving both teams an overtime possession did pass, but the 15-minute overtime period is not part of the approval. It will remain at 10 minutes in the regular season.

One of the most famous moments from the 2024 season was Baker Mayfield's reaction when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost the overtime coin toss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9 on Monday Night Football.

Patrick Mahomes drove the Chiefs 70 yards for the game-winning touchdown after receiving the kickoff, and the Bucs never got a chance to answer.

The NFL's competition committee proposed expanding replay, which allows the replay assistant to advise on-field officials about "objective aspects of a play and/or to address game administration issues when clear and obvious video evidence is present."

This will likely impact certain calls that can be hard to determine in the moment or just get missed by on-field officials, particularly something like facemask penalties.

The Lions, who played the highest rate of man coverage among all 2024 playoff teams, led all NFL clubs in defensive holding penalties accepted (11). They were also tied for eighth in illegal contact penalties accepted (three).

Both defensive holding and illegal contact only move the ball up by five yards, but the offense also receives an automatic first down regardless of the down and distance to go.