PALM BEACH, Fla. – A handful of rule, bylaw and resolution changes were passed Tuesday at this year's NFL Annual Meeting, including expanded use of replay assist and aligned regular season and postseason overtime rules, among others.

Here's what that means for the 2025 season.

Proposals that passed

[Playing rule] Making the dynamic kickoff permanent and moving touchbacks to the 35-yard line: Submitted by the competition committee, the dynamic kickoff format was initially adopted on a one-year trial basis, which is why it had to be voted on and passed again to become permanent.

[Playing rule] Aligned regular season and postseason overtime rules: Submitted by the Eagles, this will grant both teams an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first possession.

The original proposal had a 15-minute overtime period, but it was amended to 10.

According to competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay, in the scenario that a team scores after possessing the ball for the entirety of that 10-minute overtime period, it would win the game. The other team would not be granted possession.

[Playing rule] Expanded use of replay assist: Submitted by the competition committee, this will "expand Instant Replay's ability to advise the on-field officials on specific, objective aspects of a play and/or to address game administration issues when clear and obvious video evidence is present."

With this proposal passing, a flag for defenseless player, facemask, horse collar, tripping and roughing/running into the kicker can be picked up if "clear and obvious video evidence exists" in those, as examples.

[Bylaw] Permit clubs to designate two players for return at the roster reduction to 53 players: Submitted by the competition committee, this will allow teams to designate two players for return at the initial 53-man roster deadline.

[Bylaw] Permit clubs participating in the playoffs to receive two additional designated-for-return spots: Submitted by the competition committee, that increases the maximum from eight in the regular season to 10 in the playoffs.

[Bylaw] Insert Point Differential as the third tiebreaker for awarding contracts via waivers: Submitted by the competition committee in an effort to make "it less likely that a contract will be awarded by lot."

[Resolution] For one year only, permit clubs to have one video or phone call with no more than five prospective Unrestricted Free Agent during the Two-Day Negotiation Period: Submitted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, this was passed with some modification to the original proposal. Previously, teams were only allowed to speak with the agents of those players.

[Resolution] Permit clubs to prepare kicking footballs ("K-Balls") before game day, similar to the process permitted for game footballs: Submitted by the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders to eliminate what was described in the proposal as a "burdensome and unnecessary process on game day."

[Resolution] Permit clubs that may qualify for the postseason to obtain scouting credentials for two consecutive games (Weeks 17 and 18) played by a potential postseason opponent: Submitted by the Commanders, this also requires teams hosting Wild Card games "to provide scouting credentials to all teams within the same conference who are participating in the postseason." It stemmed from the unpredictability of Week 18 given many teams who clinch playoff berths in Week 17 will rest their starters in the final week of the regular season.

Proposals that did not pass

• Eliminate an automatic first down as a penalty imposed for defensive holding and illegal contact, submitted by the Lions.

Proposals that were tabled for further discussion

• Changes to the onside kick that was part of the original proposal with making the dynamic kickoff permanent and moving touchbacks to the 35-yard line. This was changing the alignment requirements for the kicking team on an onside kick, and allowing the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time if it is trailing its opponent.
• "Tush push" ban: The Packers proposed an amendment to ban the short-yardage play made prominent by the Eagles. The proposal reportedly was split 16/16 in an informal poll, according to ESPN's Kalyn Kahler.
  • "A lot of teams have a lot of views," McKay said. "I think number one, I'm gonna go back to what I said the other day on the call, which is, you never like any discussion in any room to be projected towards a team or two, it's never something that we've ever liked doing, because it's not being discussed. In this case, I think the discussion became number one, safety. Number two, should you have to defend it? Number three, is this part of the history of football? All those kind of discussions happen."
  • McKay said that in 2004, the league deleted language on prohibiting pushing and pulling from the rule book because it became harder for officials to officiate downfield what was going on. "Green Bay asked, 'Can you go back and talk about reintroducing 2004 language, study it, understand it, and talk about it again,' and we'll get back to that."
• Reconfigured playoff seeding: McKay said there was "some" support for this. "It was a good discussion, but it was all the same arguments we worked with," McKay said, pointing out that they do not want to diminish division championships.
• Exclude from the 90-man roster a player placed on Reserve/Injured before or on the day of the roster reduction to 53 players, unless such player is Designated for Return: Submitted by the Lions – who had 21 players on Injured Reserve (IR) at one point last season – in an effort to allow clubs to better manage their 90-man rosters late in the season in the event of an abnormally high number of players placed on IR. However, McKay said he believes they have a modification they can add to that and pass it in May. McKay said they don't want to have playoff games where a roster becomes a problem.

How the process works

The Competition Committee's actions are informed in part by feedback solicited from all 32 teams. Each club completes a survey responding to questions about player protection, officiating, competitive balance and technology. Then, ahead of the combine, NFL football operations meets with coaches, general managers, players and NCAA representatives to collect input about possible rule changes. Injury, instant replay and technology data are also reviewed.

Another meeting is then held before the combine to prepare agenda items, talk about the feedback received and review information with league medical advisors, members of the coaches' and general managers' subcommittees, and NFLPA representatives.

Eventually, the competition committee presents its findings to the 32 team owners, who then vote on proposed new rules or changes. A rule can only be adopted if it receives support from 75% of ownership (24 yes votes out of 32 owners).

Rams head coach Sean McVay has been a member of the competition committee since 2024.