NFL Reportedly Ban Leaping over Linemen on Field-Goal, Extra-Point Attempts

A vote by NFL owners at the league meetings in Phoenix has reportedly banned the popular play of jumping over linemen in an attempt to block field goals and extra points.  

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the measure passed on Tuesday. The NFL also passed a rule that players can be automatically ejected for egregious hits to the head, per Rapoport. 

Adam Schefter of ESPN cited a source who said the league "feels the play is too dangerous and a player could get flipped over and seriously injured while leaping over the line."

The ESPN report included comments Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino made last week about the reasoning for the potential rule change, which received support from the NFL Players Association:

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The issue, we've looked at a lot of tape on the jumper, is how it's being defended at this point; whether it's the snapper or the guard raising up and attempting to make contact with the jump, we've seen several examples where players have been flipped over, land on their head, their neck, and the potential for a serious injury certainly increases when you have a player in a vulnerable position who is now going to be knocked off balance and really can't control the way they land. So I think that's probably the biggest thing, and we have seen that on tape as to why the proposal will be voted on.

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There was already a leaping penalty, but it only came into play when the jumping defender landed on another player or used one for leverage during his jump.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk passed along comments NFLPA President Eric Winston made during an appearance on PFT Live about why the union supported a rule change:

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The jump-over rule on the field goal concerns me. I would say that there's a chance for a big injury on that play. Just for the jumper getting his legs caught up and landing on his head and for the offensive linemen in between the 'A' and 'B' gaps. If that guys and gets his legs hit and falls on someone's leg, those are big injuries. Those aren't sprained-ankle sort of injuries.

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Not everybody is on board with eliminating the play, though. Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner‏, who's used the move in the past, posted a message on social media.

"They shouldn't [ban it]," he wrote. "It's fun jumping, I think the fans like it too."

Wagner's comments will fall on deaf ears, which isn't a surprise given the joint support of the league and the NFLPA.