NFL Announces 2023 Rule Changes; Chargers Get Proposal Passed by Owners

Mar 28, 2023 at 01:09 PM

Eric Smith

Editorial Director

NFL owners have approved multiple rule changes for the 2023 season, including one proposed by the Chargers.

The news was announced Tuesday afternoon after owners met and voted at the 2023 Annual League Meeting in Phoenix.

There were nine playing rule changes that were approved, including one submitted by the Bolts regarding the play clock that involves multiple scenarios.

In essence, part the new rule now states that if "if the play clock is stopped prior to the snap for any reason, after the stoppage has concluded, the time remaining on the play clock shall be the same as when it stopped."

For example, if the play clock is stopped at 17 seconds and there is a concussion check, it will remain there when play resumes rather than be re-set to 25 seconds as in previous years.

There are stipulations, of course, as the play clock will be re-set to 25 seconds if there is a timeout, the 2-minute warning is reached or if there is a penalty or challenge flag thrown.

Additionally, if the play clock is stopped inside 10 seconds, the play clock will resume at 10 seconds.

The second part of the Chargers proposal that was approved has to do with the play clock in regards to a 10-second runoff inside of the 2-minute warning.

Here is the updated rule:

If a replay review after the two-minute warning of either half results in the on-field ruling being reversed and the correct ruling would not have stopped the game clock, then the officials will run 10 seconds off the game clock, and reset the play clock to 30 seconds, before permitting the ball to be put in play on the ready-for-play signal. The defense cannot decline the runoff, but either team can use a remaining timeout to prevent it.

The main emphasis of this is allowing a team to run off the full play clock inside the 2-minute warning instead of 35 seconds.

Other rule changes approved by owners included:

-Any position except for offensive or defensive linemen can wear the No. 0. Kickers and punters can wear any jersey number except for 50.

-Replay officials can now call for a review on failed fourth-down attempts.

-Tripping penalties are now deemed personal fouls.

There were also three bylaws approved and three resolutions passed by the competition committee.

The bylaws were:

-Players who are waived on the Friday and Saturday of the last week of the regular season can now be claimed Monday.

-Strength of Victory is the second tiebreaker for awarding contracts.

-Standard elevation rules for rosters now apply to the postseason, and postseason rosters are frozen at 1 p.m. (PT) on the Wednesday following the last week of the regular season.

And the resolutions passed included:

-The transaction deadline for Saturday night postseason games is now 1 p.m. (PT)

-Providing greater clarity as to a player's availability for a game. (This was submitted by the Chargers).

-There is now one preseason roster reduction date.

The full list of approved playing rules, bylaws and resolutions for 2023 can be found here.