NFL owners, front office staff and coaches descended upon Phoenix this week for the 2026 Annual League Meetings. Clubs adopted the following rule changes and additions for the upcoming 2026 season Tuesday.

Kickoff Adjustments

There were five rule proposals submitted by the Competition Committee passed related to on-field play, three of which have to do with kickoffs.

• The first proposal approved allows the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any point in the game, whereas this was previously only allowed in the fourth quarter.
• Next, a team's incentive to intentionally kick the ball out of bounds when kicking off from the 50-yard line was eliminated by moving the placement of the ball from the 25-yard line back to the 20-yard line.
• Finally, the kickoff alignment requirements were adjusted by an approved proposal, which will modify the amount of players the receiving team puts in the setup zone.

Officiating Changes

NFL officiating and the potential use of replacement referees has been a hot topic in Phoenix this week. The league approved two proposals in regards to officiating.

• The first will allow NFL personnel to consult with on-field officials when considering disqualifications for both football and non-football acts that weren't necessarily called on the field. Essentially, the NFL will now have an additional say in if a player is ejected from a game or not.
• Also, the league approved a one-year only proposal that will allow the NFL Officiating Department to correct clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field refs. This will only occur if there is a work stoppage involving the game officials represented by the NFL Referees Association.

Off-The-Field Proposals

The Competition Committee also submitted three bylaw proposals related to off-the-field procedures:

• First, the league office will be able to adjust the dates and deadlines for final roster reductions to accommodate an international game scheduled in the first week of the regular season. This year, the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers will play Week 1 in Melbourne, Australia.
• Next, the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend were established as business days for the league to provide clubs with personnel notices during the first weekend post-roster reductions.
• A proposal was also approved that will allow players on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform lists to open their 21-day practice window after a team's second game of the regular season.

Finally, the Steelers submitted a resolution that was approved to keep the rule in place where teams can have a video or phone call with up to five perspective unrestricted free agents during the legal tampering period.

See below for the full summary and language provided by the NFL:

2026 Approved Playing Rules Summary

1. By Competition Committee; to permit the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game.
2. By Competition Committee; to eliminate the kicking team's incentive to intentionally kick the ball out of bounds when kicking off from the 50-yard line.
3. By Competition Committee; to modify the kickoff alignment requirements for the receiving team players in the setup zone.

4-A. By Competition Committee; to allow League personnel to consult with on-field officials when considering disqualifications for both flagrant football acts and non-football acts without being called on the field.

5. By Competition Committee; for one year only, to allow the NFL Officiating department to correct clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game, in the event that there is a work stoppage involving the game officials represented by the NFL Referees Association.

2026 Approved Bylaws Summary

1. By Competition Committee; amends Article XVII, Section 17.1 of the Constitution and Bylaws to permit the League office to adjust the procedures and related dates and deadlines for the final roster reduction to accommodate an international game scheduled in the first week of the regular season.
2. By Competition Committee; amends Article XVII, Section 18.1 (B) of the Constitution and Bylaws to establish the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend as business days to provide clubs with personnel notices during the first weekend after the roster reduction.
3. By Competition Committee; to permit players on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform to begin a 21-day practice period after the club's second game of the regular season.

2026 Approved Resolutions Summary

1. By Pittsburgh; to make permanent the change implemented during the 2025 season that permits clubs to have one video or phone call with no more than five prospective Unrestricted Free Agent during the Two-Day Negotiation Period, and to permit clubs to make travel arrangements with such players upon agreeing to terms.