NFL owners approve numerous rule changes, 2 players can now return from IR
There are some big rule changes coming to the NFL in 2017.
The NFL offseason seems to always bring about numerous rule changes each and every year.
With the NFL owners meeting this week, some significant changes have been made going forward.
First off, the owners voted to decrease overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.
The @NFL has passed a rule change moving overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, per league official. Expected but important.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 23, 2017
I’m not sure how I feel about this.
On one hand it’s a good idea because it will decrease the amount of wear and tear on the players. On the other hand it could also mean more games ending in ties.
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The owners have also voted to allow not only one player, but now two players to return from injured reserve during a season.
This is a great move. There are way too many injuries to not allow more players to come back from injured reserve.
.@NFL owners have passed a resolution allowing two players to return off Injured Reserve, source says. Used to be just one.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 23, 2017
NFL teams will now be able to carry 90 players on their rosters all the way until the fourth and final preseason game.
Per source, the owners just passed a resolution eliminating the 75-man cutdown. So now, there'll be just one cutdown day -- 90 to 53.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 23, 2017
It really didn’t make sense to cut down the rosters from 90 to 75 players right before the final preseason game when the starters aren’t going to play much, if at all during that final game.
Now teams can get a better look at young unproven players before they might decide to release them.
Another rule change that will bring some back to the NFL is that players can now celebrate more freely.
Players can now use the ball as a prop, celebrate in groups and celebrate on the ground (e.g. snow angel). https://t.co/sBuqzuAl4O
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 23, 2017
It sounds like the NFL realizes their celebrations rules were a little over the top.
For those who love watching players twerk, that still won’t be allowed.