4 new NFL rules for 2026, including a replacement ref insurance policy
While most of 2026's rule changes are kickoff-based, there's one important contingency in case of incompetent referess.
The Tush Push remains legal. The Cleveland Browns' attempt to extend their self-sabotage from three years of draft picks to five was rescinded. But that doesn't mean we aren't getting new NFL rules for 2026.
The NFL's annual spring meeting isn't just about seeing which coaches can and can't pull off shorts with a long-sleeved tee. It's also where the league comes together to tweak the rulebook it's been rewriting for more than a century. The bulk of this year's changes are tweaks to the still-evolving dynamic kickoff .
The new kicking rules have been vital in creating more returns where touchbacks once ruled, but still had some areas that could be exploited. This spring's reforms hope to close a few loopholes while making the game a bit more interesting. Here are this year's new rules, all proposed by the NFL's Competition Committee , and what they'll mean for 2026.
1. Permit the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game. The 2024 kickoff change had a ripple effect on onside kicks.