"The NFL opens the 2025 season Thursday, when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys ( 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), and with it comes an assortment of rule changes and points of emphasis that will undoubtedly enter the public discussion through the next five months. The league has tweaked its kickoff, hoping to generate a much higher return rate. Its competition committee has worked to make overtime fairer, employed technology to support its on-field officials and warned players that it will be vigilant in disciplining them for violations of the league's sportsmanship rules."
"In 2024, the NFL made dramatic rules changes to incentivize returning kickoffs. However, the leaguewide return rate of 32.8% was still the league's lowest since at least 2000, and the touchback rate of 64.3% was the league's highest over the same period. This spring, they made those rules permanent and -- after seeing data that showed it had helped power a 43% reduction in concussion rates on kickoff plays -- owners agreed to move the touchback from the 30-yard line to the 35."
The 2025 NFL season begins with rule changes aimed at increasing kickoff returns, improving player safety and making overtime fairer. Kickoff touchbacks will be placed at the 35-yard line after prior changes correlated with a 43% reduction in concussions on kickoff plays and persistent low return rates in 2024. The competition committee focused on overtime adjustments and expanded technology to assist on-field officials. The league signaled stricter discipline for sportsmanship violations. A proposal to ban the Eagles' tush-push short-yardage play failed by two votes, leaving the play legal for at least one more season.
Read at ESPN.com
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