National Football League

NFL adopts 2 new rules, including moving touchbacks to 25-yard-line

Published Mar. 23, 2016 10:12 a.m. ET

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Dan Graf

NFL owners approved seven mostly mundane rules changes Tuesday at their annual meetings, but they apparently saved the biggest one for Wednesday when they adopted a Competition Committee proposal to move the spot of the first snap after a touchback from the 20- to the 25-yard-line.

Owners in Boca Raton, Fla., also voted in the idea of disqualifying a player who is penalized twice in one game for certain types of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.

Both new rules are one-year experiments that will need to be voted on again next year to become permanent. Competition committee chairman Rich McKay told reporters many coaches lobbied against both changes, but owners voted in favor of improving the safety of the game as it faces continuing concerns regarding concussions and other serious injuries.

One other proposal – expanding the number plays that are reviewable by replay officials – has been tabled for further discussion.

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