All articles tagged with #rule change
The NFL issued a rule requiring identical video-board displays for field-goal attempts on both teams, effectively ending the Patriots’ optical-illusion tactic and preventing any stadium from using different feeds to confuse kickers.
The Big Ten is reportedly ready to pass a rule barring anyone who has been on an NFL team from Big Ten rosters. Enforceability is unclear, as injunctions could allow players to return, and the move could raise antitrust questions. Supporters argue it funds restrictiveness of NFL-era players in college programs, while critics view it as performative leverage in broader efforts like the Protect College Sports Act to shape NCAA antitrust policy.
The NBA will try out a new 'one free throw' rule in the 2026 Summer League, condensing all free throws into a single shot worth 2, 1, or 3 points depending on the established foul. The change could advantage elite three-point shooters and put more pressure on weaker free-throw shooters, with the league also testing sensor-enabled basketball tech to improve officiating and game flow.
The NFL approved a rule change to remove the incentive to kick out of bounds on kickoffs from the 50-yard line; if the ball lands in the end zone or goes out of bounds, the receiving team will take possession at its own 20, not at the 25, ending the previous vulnerability created by the 2024 kickoff alignment.
The Browns floated a rule allowing teams to trade draft picks up to five years out, with Rams president Kevin Demoff supporting the idea, but Rams coach Sean McVay—who sits on the Competition Committee—says there’s a 0-percent chance the proposal passes and says he won’t back it.
The Cleveland Browns withdrew their proposal to allow trading NFL draft picks up to five years in the future; the current limit of three years remains in effect. The idea aimed to improve roster flexibility but was viewed with doubt about passage at the Annual League Meeting. Teams can still propose the rule in the future. The Browns also reiterated they aren’t trading star defender Myles Garrett, with Berry saying Garrett will stay in Cleveland for now.
MLB will test a semi-codified Check-Swing Challenge in the minors, allowing two challenges per team on swing/no-swing or ball/strike calls and using a 45-degree bat-angle criterion; trials in the Florida State League and Arizona Fall League in 2025 reduced strikeouts by over 3% and increased balls in play, with the Pacific Coast League starting midseason while the International League won’t apply the check-swing to that call (though umpires will use the same criterion). The move aims to reduce umpire discretion on check-swings and could affect batting strategy and MLB play, prompting debate on downstream effects.
A new NFL rule allows teams to hold one 60-minute video or phone call with up to five potential UFAs during the negotiating window, with the player's agent on the call; for the Bengals, this enables coaches to directly pitch the team’s vision, potentially giving them an edge in landing top free agents.
The Division I Football Rules Subcommittee proposed a one-year trial that would allow a player disqualified for targeting for the first time in a season to play in the next game, regardless of whether the ejection occurred in the first or second half. The existing rule would still apply to a second targeting offense. FBS and FCS Oversight Committees must approve; the FBS panel meets March 19 and the FCS on March 23. Conferences would also be allowed to appeal second-targeting calls for possible overturns via video review. The change aims to balance safety with an appropriate penalty structure, with ongoing monitoring.
The NFL is considering expanding the replay official’s role to flag missed non-football penalties during games, potentially allowing penalties to be assessed in real time. The plan, discussed by Troy Vincent, would create a new, subjective layer outside on-field action and raise questions about game integrity and whether such calls should have final say. Critics warn it could distort pivotal moments, like late playoff drives, and echo earlier, messy expansions of replay. The piece labels the idea a “legendarily bad” proposal and notes the ongoing tension between officiating accuracy and simplicity in the game.
The NFL Competition Committee is weighing a rule change that would let replay officials flag non-football acts that went unpenalized on the field, potentially allowing postplay penalties for incidents like the Diggs/Jobe and Hall/Dotson plays; if approved, it could lead to broader questions about penalizing missed calls and would require careful narrowing of the language.
The MLB's 'Shohei Ohtani rule' allows Ohtani to remain as a DH after pitching, giving an unfair advantage only to the Dodgers, notably disadvantaging the Blue Jays in the World Series.
Following a controversial eye poke incident at UFC 321 that led to a no contest and raised safety concerns, former UFC star Josh Thomson suggests that the UFC is likely to implement rule changes soon, possibly before UFC 322, to prevent such incidents in the future.
The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved a proposal to allow student-athletes and staff to bet on professional sports, pending approval from all NCAA divisions, emphasizing harm reduction and education on gambling risks while maintaining restrictions on college sports betting.
NFL players and officials are divided over the controversial 'tush push' play, with some players like Landon Dickerson suggesting the league should eliminate it if they dislike it, while the Eagles continue to run it despite ongoing debates and potential rule changes. The league is considering banning the play, but any decision is likely to come after the season.