Tuesday, March 19, 2024

NFL Bans Leaping to Block Kicks, Thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles

New England Patriots' Shea McClellin (58) leaps over the line of scrimmage in an attempt to block a kick during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game in Houston. (Feb 5, 2017)
New England Patriots’ Shea McClellin (58) leaps over the line of scrimmage in an attempt to block a kick during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game in Houston. (Feb 5, 2017)

*Leaping over the line to block a kick is no longer allowed in the NFL.

NFL owners on Tuesday (March 28) announced a new rule to prohibit players from leaping over offensive linemen during kicks due to safety issues. The Philadelphia Eagles proposed the rule change, which was backed by the NFL Players Association.

Offensive lineman Eric Winston, the NFLPA’s president, offered a rationale for the ban earlier this month, telling The Washington Post: “The jumping over on the field goal, I think, is just leading to a really dangerous play for everybody. If you jump over the center, the jumper is in a really bad spot. He can land on his head. I think the guys that are getting jumped over are going to end up getting hurt, with those guys landing on them. So I’ll be very interested to see what they’ll do there. I think something probably needs to be done.”

The leaping ban was one of the several rule changes owners approved via a vote at the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix.

Other rule changes voted upon Tuesday, via NFL.com:

1. The NFL passed a rule for automatic ejections for egregious hits to the head, Rapoport reported. This new rule comes a year after the league installed an automatic ejection system for players who committed two personal fouls in the same game.

2. The Washington Redskins’ proposal to place the ball at the 20-yard-line if the kicker puts it through the uprights on a kickoff failed, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported.

3. The owners approved centralized replay, giving senior VP of officiating Dean Blandino and the New York command center final say on calls in question, NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones reported.

4. Touchbacks on kickoffs will once again result in teams starting from the 25-yard line. The rule was renewed by team owners for another year rather than being made permanent.

5. Receivers running pass routes are now being given defenseless player protection.

6. Crackback blocks are now prohibited by a backfield player in motion, even if he’s not more than two yards outside the tackle box when the ball is snapped.

7. Unsportsmanlike penalties will be issued to players who commit multiple fouls during the same down in an effort to manipulate the game clock.

8. Similarly, action to conserve time after the two-minute warning of either half would be considered illegal and would result in a penalty now.

9. Ejections for two unsportsmanlike fouls in a single game, which was introduced last season, is now a permanent rule.

10. The proposal to shorten the overtime period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes in preseason and regular season games was tabled to May’s Spring League Meeting, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. Rapoport added it likely will pass then after further discussion.

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