Wednesday marks the final day of the NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. The four-day event running from March 26 to March 29 brought together NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, league officials and teams' high-ranking front office staff to discuss and vote on action items for the 2023 season. Additionally, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan and CEO Jed York provided media with offseason updates regarding the team and organization.
Per NFL Operations, the league's system for modifying or adopting rules and regulations is "systematic and consensus-oriented." The process involves the NFL's Competition Committee reviewing all aspects of competition, taking feedback from a variety of sources and drafting proposals for a final report to be voted on by all 32 NFL team owners at the Annual League Meeting. Proposals need a minimum of 75 percent support of the owners to be approved. For a more detailed explanation of the NFL Competition Committee process read here.
Here is a full list of the rule changes, bylaws and resolutions passed for 2023 from NFL Communications:
Playing Rules Summary
- By Philadelphia; amends Rule 5, Section 1, Article 2, to permit the use of zero ("0") as a jersey numeral; to allow kickers and punters to use any jersey numeral between 0-49 and 90-99.
- By Los Angeles Chargers; amends Rule 4, Section 6, Article 3 and Section 7, Article 4, to make the adjustment of the play clock following an Instant Replay reversal consistent with other timing rules.
- By Houston; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 2, to expand the Replay Official's jurisdiction to allow for review on failed fourth down attempts.
- By Competition Committee; to change the definition of a launch to leaving one or both feet.
- By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for tripping a personal foul.
- By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegally handing the ball forward consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.
- By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegal punts, drop kicks, or placekicks consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.
- By Competition Committee; to prevent the offense from benefitting by an extension of the half as a result of their foul.
- By Competition Committee; to clarify use of the helmet against an opponent by removing the "butt, ram, spear" language from Article 8 and incorporating those actions into Impermissible Use of the Helmet.
Bylaws Summary
- By Competition Committee; to change the claiming period to Monday for players who are waived on the Friday and Saturday of the last week of the regular season.
- By Competition Committee; to insert Strength of Victory as the second tiebreaker for awarding contracts.
- By Competition Committee; to adjust the rules for postseason signings to account for standard elevations rule; to freeze postseason rosters at 1:00 PM PST on the Wednesday following the last week of the regular season.
Resolutions Summary
- By Buffalo; to make the regular season and postseason roster transaction deadlines the same; changes the transaction deadline for Saturday night postseason games to 1:00 PM PST on Saturday.
- By Los Angeles Chargers; to provide greater clarity as to a player's availability for a game.
- By New Orleans, Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Carolina, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota, New York Jets, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Washington; to establish one preseason roster reduction date and related procedures.
