Today, the NFL held their annual owners meeting in Chicago to discuss the state of the league and vote to enact rule changes. At the meeting, the owners voted to make two such rule changes to overtime and player celebrations. They also voted to change how preseason roster cutdowns work, designating more players off of injured reserve and the location of the Super Bowl LV in 2021.
Overtime changes and relaxing celebration penalties
NFL owners voted at the league meeting to change the length of overtime games during the regular season from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.
This was a change they discussed at the last owners meeting but had tabled for later discussion. Sources say that the proposal was made to limit extra snaps that a player took in order to protect them. The 2016-17 season saw six overtime games, the second most in league history. When asked about this change, commissioner Rodger Goodell said, "We don't think it will lead to more ties."
It was also decided at the league meeting and announced by Rodger Goodell that the league would be relaxing its rules on player celebrations. Players will now be allowed to use the ball as a prop, celebrate on the ground and even be able to celebrate in groups once again. This was done in response to wide-spread criticism to the NFL's overbearing enforcement, especially last season.
However, celebrations that are deemed offensive, directed at an opponent or delay the game because they are prolonged will be penalized.
Preseason roster cutdowns and moving the Super Bowl
NFL owners voted to make changes to how roster cutdowns will work during the preseason. NFL owners voted to eliminate the roster cutdown from 90 to 75 players after week 3.
Instead, the rosters will stay at 90 players until after the final preseason game, when teams will have to cut it down to the mandatory 53. Owners also approved a rule to make it so teams can now designate two players to return from injured reserve (IR).
Lastly, NFL owners unanimously awarded Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV in 2021 instead of Los Angeles as originally planned.
Los Angeles will now host Super Bowl LVI in 2022. Both teams will now have 90 days to show that their respective facilities are on track to host the event. Plans for Los Angeles to host the city in 2021 got pushed back due to record levels of rain in the area that took place between January and March. This caused the opening of the stadium to be pushed back a year, which affected them hosting the Super Bowl.
