NFL owners approve four new rule changes for 2026

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 04: Head coach Kellen Moore of the New Orleans Saints converses with umpire Barry Anderson #20 during the second quarter of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images On Tuesday, the NFL announced the approval of four new rule changes. These rules mostly revolve around special teams.

Interestingly, multiple of these rules have connections to the New Orleans Saints. Kicking teams can now declare an onside at any time While “ambush” is not fully restored, NFL teams are now allowed to declare an onside kick at any point during a game. Before the change, teams must have been losing, and only in the fourth quarter.

These original rules came with the kickoff system. Many NFL fans, including Saints fans, were upset with the change, as the element of surprise is eliminated. While the change has now been made that NFL teams can declare an onside kick at any moment, there is still a lack of surprise.

Due to this, the NFL is looking into a fourth-down conversion instead, similar to one demonstrated in the UFL. The ball landing out of bounds on kickoffs is now placed at the 50-yard line A ball landing out of bounds on kickoff returns now results in the offense being placed at the 50-yard line. This is an additional 10 yards to the original rule, where the ball would be placed at the 40.