The NFL announced some new rules for the 2024 season, and the big one is the elimination of the kickoff as we know. The kicker will still kick the ball, but blockers will be downfield and stationary until the ball is caught. Then the play begins.
This should put a premium on returners as teams.
The hip tackle is also gone and teams with get an extra challenge if they make a correct challenge.
New 2024 Rules:
– to protect a club’s ability to challenge a third ruling following one successful challenge.
– to allow for an enforcement of a major foul by the offense prior to a change of possession in a situation where there are fouls by both teams.
– to include a ruling of a passer down by contact or out of bounds before throwing a pass as a reviewable play.
– to allow a replay review when there is clear and obvious visual evidence that the game clock expired before any snap.
– to eliminate a potentially dangerous tackling technique.
– to create a new form of a free kick play that is designed to: (1) resemble a typical scrimmage play by aligning players on both teams closer together and restricting movement to reduce space and speed; and (2) promote more returns. Permits the Replay Official automatically review whether a free kick legally touched the ground or a receiving team player in the landing zone.