NFL owners met in the Minneapolis area on Wednesday to hash out proposed rule changes and other key issues ahead of the 2025 season. Their discussions came a day after the latest round of owners meetings kicked off and resulted in some major news regarding the league's international endeavors (more on that below).
Suffice to say, there was no shortage of drama at this week's meetings, with all 32 clubs weighing in on everything from the participation of players in future Olympics to the legality of the much-debated "Tush Push" quarterback sneak, which sparked plenty of discourse at March meetings but didn't lead to an immediate resolution. There was also a last-minute tabling of discussions related to a potential overhaul of the playoffs, which we'll unpack below.
What, exactly, did NFL owners decide to change -- or leave unchanged -- at this week's discussions? What rule changes will or won't be going into effect when the next campaign officially begins this fall? And what do the big decisions mean moving forward? Here's a rapid-fire roundup of the most important revelations:
Olympics flag football
- What happened: NFL owners voted to approve player participation in the 2028 Olympics, permitting anyone under contract to try out for a flag football team in the Summer Games. The resolution included some restrictions, namely that prospective Olympic teams can only roster one player per NFL team, and must meet NFL standards for health and safety.
- What's next: Nothing pressing, at least for now. The 2028 Summer Games are still three years away, and it's possible, if not probable, that Team USA -- and other countries' Olympic teams -- will be comprised primarily of non-NFL players, given flag football's vastly different format. Still, some big names, like Justin Jefferson, are already anticipating a tryout.
Best possible NFL flag football team for 2028 Olympics: Commanders' Jayden Daniels could lead Team USA stars
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'Tush Push' upheld
- What happened: Despite multiple reports indicating NFL owners were likely to ban the "Tush Push" quarterback sneak popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles in recent years, a vote on eliminating any pushing and pulling of ball-carriers did not receive enough support, with 10 teams still supporting the "Tush Push" in a closed-session vote Wednesday.
- What's next: A handful of NFL teams will publicly bemoan the Eagles' continued -- and likely effective -- use of the play, despite little evidence the push is more of an injury risk than other football strategies. Plenty of fans may also chide the NFL for allowing such an "ugly" play to remain. Philadelphia, meanwhile, will surely soak it all up for at least 2025.
Playoff reseeding
- What happened: The Detroit Lions withdrew a proposal to reseed the postseason based on standing rather than division finish; this change would've granted home-field advantage to wild-card teams if said teams finished the regular season with a better record than an opposing division winner. NFL owners were reportedly unlikely to approve such a change.
- What's next: The playoff structure will remain the same for at least another season, with division winners guaranteed a home game against opposing wild-card teams, even if the latter boasts a better record. Expect this issue to resurface down the road, though, as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has lent public support to the idea of a reseeded playoff format.
Why the NFL's outdated playoff format still needs to be changed despite the Lions withdrawing their proposal
Douglas Clawson
English (US) ·