The NFL is a multifaceted game with is unique kinks and cogs that allowed it to successfully run for the past decades. But with time, comes new rules that have helped to make the game more watchable and safer for the players themselves. Despite recent meeting during the late spring in regards to rule changes, the on-field product remained intact after the pandemic. Generally though, there are five key factors that are tracked annually by the NFL competition committee.
The NFL has always dealt with the issue that television viewers are able to view the play better than the 7 referees. The advancement of technology has not made an improvement on the amount of missed calls or mistakes made by the referees which threatens to hurt competitive integrity. Many coaches have pushed for adding an eighth member of the refereeing squad who sits in the stadium suite with access to broadcasting feeds. Though, this seems unlikely because it is a basic tenet that games should be officiated on the field. The furthest they could take this rule is allowing the existing official who watches the replays be allowed to make judgments on certain plays such as if the ball hit the ground before the catch was made.
A rule that seems so trivial, yet unwavering for so many years was flexible jersey numbers. Over the pandemic, practice squads were allowed to increase to 16 players, leading to many teams running out of jersey numbers. Because wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends were only allowed numbers 20-49, 1-9, and 1-39, respectively. This meant that with a plethora of those players on the team, not everyone could get a number. Since the rule change, players like Julio Jones have switched numbers, making the game more interesting and easy going to play and watch.
Another rule that many agree would improve player safety is blocking below the waste. This rule would expand the area where players cannot block. This comes close to one of Tom Brady’s proposed rules of banning tackling below the knees of a wide receiver. Every position is protected at the knees and are not allowed to be tackled in that area when they are not protecting themselves, for example during a catch. But, no matter where the wide receiver is, even if he just made a catch over his shoulder and is more vulnerable than ever, they can be tackled in the knees. Tom Brady argued that this was unfair and angered him that this rule was not yet in place.
The NFL is an ever-growing sport and in order to allow it to continue, new and improved rules for everyone is key.
The NFL has always dealt with the issue that television viewers are able to view the play better than the 7 referees. The advancement of technology has not made an improvement on the amount of missed calls or mistakes made by the referees which threatens to hurt competitive integrity. Many coaches have pushed for adding an eighth member of the refereeing squad who sits in the stadium suite with access to broadcasting feeds. Though, this seems unlikely because it is a basic tenet that games should be officiated on the field. The furthest they could take this rule is allowing the existing official who watches the replays be allowed to make judgments on certain plays such as if the ball hit the ground before the catch was made.
A rule that seems so trivial, yet unwavering for so many years was flexible jersey numbers. Over the pandemic, practice squads were allowed to increase to 16 players, leading to many teams running out of jersey numbers. Because wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends were only allowed numbers 20-49, 1-9, and 1-39, respectively. This meant that with a plethora of those players on the team, not everyone could get a number. Since the rule change, players like Julio Jones have switched numbers, making the game more interesting and easy going to play and watch.
Another rule that many agree would improve player safety is blocking below the waste. This rule would expand the area where players cannot block. This comes close to one of Tom Brady’s proposed rules of banning tackling below the knees of a wide receiver. Every position is protected at the knees and are not allowed to be tackled in that area when they are not protecting themselves, for example during a catch. But, no matter where the wide receiver is, even if he just made a catch over his shoulder and is more vulnerable than ever, they can be tackled in the knees. Tom Brady argued that this was unfair and angered him that this rule was not yet in place.
The NFL is an ever-growing sport and in order to allow it to continue, new and improved rules for everyone is key.
