NFL Adds Beckham Rule for 2016

[silverscreenselect]

The NFL added two major new rules changes for the 2016 season only. One of them, which has already been dubbed the "Beckham Rule" calls for an automatic ejection of any player who receives two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (not personal fouls) in the same game. Odell Beckham, Jr., was flagged three times in a game last season but not ejected (although he was subsequently suspended for one game). According to the NFL, had the rule been in effect last year, only one other player besides Beckham would have been ejected from a game.

The NFL also added a rule similar to the college game in which touchbacks after kickoffs will be brought out to the 25 yard line. That rule change is designed to reduce injuries. Other touchbacks, after punts and turnovers, will still be brought out to the 20 yard line as before. Both of these rules are for the 2016 season only and will be reviewed next year.

Other rule changes:

--The PAT kick from the 15 yard line (which had been a one-year experiment) has been made permanent.

--Chop blocks have been eliminated.

--The Injured Reserve "designated to return" rule has been changed. Teams can still bring back one player from injured reserve during the season (after missing at least six weeks), but they don't have to designate the player in advance. That gives teams more flexibility in the case of multiple players with 1-2 month but not season ending injuries.

--A team that attempts to call a timeout when they don't have one will be penalized for delay of game.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... 016-season

[Vandal]

--A team that attempts to call a timeout when they don't have one will be penalized for delay of game.

Otherwise known as the Chris Webber rule.

[SpacemanSpiff]

The NFL added two major new rules changes for the 2016 season only. One of them, which has already been dubbed the "Beckham Rule" calls for an automatic ejection of any player who receives two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (not personal fouls) in the same game. Odell Beckham, Jr., was flagged three times in a game last season but not ejected (although he was subsequently suspended for one game). According to the NFL, had the rule been in effect last year, only one other player besides Beckham would have been ejected from a game.

That has been the rule in college for a couple of years, which is why the referee, upon giving an UC penalty, will often say at the end "this is #53's first unsportsmanlike penalty."

(On a total aside, I still giggle from my days as a soccer official, where the same thing is called "ungentlemanly conduct." Somehow, I think if you used that term on an American football field, you'd be made fun of!)

[BackInTex]

A rule I wish they would add, mainly in college ball, is that when a player leaves the field due to injury, he can not come back in during the current series. This will eliminate the "faking" of injuries to slow down a hurry-up offense. Right now a player can fall down and claim a cramp, leave the game for one play (allowing the defense to rest and reset), then return for the next play. If the player can't come back until the next time they are on defense, they would really need to evaluated how desperate they are.

If there really is an injury, even a cramp, the player, for his safety, should be out more than 30 seconds.

[lilclyde54]

A rule I wish they would add, mainly in college ball, is that when a player leaves the field due to injury, he can not come back in during the current series. This will eliminate the "faking" of injuries to slow down a hurry-up offense.

I am with you on that.