NFL rule changes 2026: League adjusts restrictions on kickoffs, correcting official calls, more
The NFL largely avoided hot-button issues like the "tush push" at its annual meetings, but some rule changes were still made for 2026.
NFL rule changes 2026: League adjusts restrictions on kickoffs, correcting official calls, more originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . TV ratings tell you the NFL product is in a great place right now, but the league regularly takes the opportunity to tweak some of its finer details at the annual meetings.
The "tush push" was the talk of the town at the NFL's meetings in 2025, but that discussion quieted down ahead of 2026 after the Eagles struggled to run it as effectively. The prospect of an 18-game schedule has also become an increasingly large part of conversations about the NFL's future, but that kind of schedule expansion wasn't on the table this year. So, what is changing for 2026?
Here's what you need to know about the rule changes that were approved for next season. MORE: Explaining the NFL's kickoff rules What are the 2026 NFL rule changes? Below are the NFL rule changes that were approved for the 2026 season and beyond.
For a rule to be passed, 75 percent of the owners (at least 24 teams) must vote in favor. Onside kicks allowed any time during game The NFL again amended its onside kick rules, making them less restrictive. The league changed the rules in 2024 to mandate that teams can only declare an onside kick when trailing in the fourth quarter before relaxing them to allow a trailing team to declare an onside kick any time.
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