The NFL held a league meeting Wednesday afternoon in Dallas, and among the topics of discussion were potential rule changes going into next season.
The league will host owners’ meetings in the offseason to formally go over everything, but executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent went over some of the things the league will be focused on.
Among the topics of discussion were kickoffs, fair catches, the Tush Push, and more.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Vincent called the kickoff “a dead ceremonial play” and said the league may undo the rule encouraging fair catches. Starting in the 2023 season, any kick fair caught inside the 25-yard line was automatically ruled a touchback, even if it didn’t reach the end zone.
NFL exec Troy Vincent says kickoff is a “dead ceremonial play today” and will be addressed. Sounds like the one-year experiment encouraging fair catches will be modified, if not going away entirely. pic.twitter.com/I3VBffVF2M
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 13, 2023
Vincent also said there is currently no plan to ban the Tush Push, the play ran most often by the Philadelphia Eagles to get a first down or touchdown in short yardage situations where blockers effectively push quarterback Jalen Hurts into the end zone. Vincent went on to say it wouldn’t be right to ban the play just because one team does it much better than others.
The Tush Push play also was discussed; Troy Vincent makes a point to say a report that Roger Goodell wants to ban the play was false.
Also notable: Vincent says they’ll take a look at fumbles through the end zone and whether ruling it a touchback is too punitive.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 13, 2023
More Vincent on the Tush Push: “Philly does it better than everyone else; that’s a fact. … You don’t want to punish anyone for doing something well.”
Not enough data to substantiate a greater injury risk on the play.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 13, 2023
One of Vincent’s most interesting comments came when he discussed fumbles out of the end zone. Currently, a fumble that goes out of the back or side of the end zone is ruled a touchback for the defense. The rule has caused much discussion, as it feels unfair for an offensive player to fumble that close to the goal line, usually when trying to reach the ball out to score, and then being punished for it. It will be fascinating to see what the league decides to do.
