What to know about the nine rule changes coming to the NFL in 2026
At the NFL Annual League Meeting this week in Phoenix, the league approved nine rule changes that apply immediately for the 2026 season and next offseason. The rule changes were debated and approved by the league’s competition committee, including Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones, on Tuesday.
Here’s everything you need to know about each amendment:
1. A team can declare an onside kick at any time
Either team can now declare an onside kick at any point in the game, changing a prior rule that said only teams that are trailing can declare an onside kick. The rule has been previously amended to allow onside kicks at any point in the game and not just in the fourth quarter.
The small revisions to the onside kick over the last couple of years come as a result of the major kickoff reconstruction that happened in 2024.
2. An amendment to a kickoff from the 50-yard line
Another hiccup in the new kickoff rules from the last two years has seen teams that are awarded a 15-yard penalty on a kickoff, meaning they kick from the 50-yard line, kick it straight out of bounds in order to give the receiving team possession at the 25-yard line. Oddly enough, it was first popularized by Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey doing it in 2024 and unintentionally nailing a cheerleader in the head on the sideline in the process.
Now, teams can force an opposing team to start from the 20-yard line if the kickoff is a touchback.
3. Players can line up in different places on the kickoff
In an effort to increase action on the kickoff, receiving teams can now put fewer players up front — or on the restraining line — to try and open up more return paths. There are a lot of specific technicalities with this rule, but the big thing to know is that it’s in an effort to increase the return numbers.
4. Disqualifications can come from the league
Under this new rule, the league can step in and communicate with on-field officials if they feel a player committed a flagrant or non-football act that could result in a disqualification. It would have to happen before the following snap, so it would be a rare and quick instance. This is as a result of dirty hits being discovered by replay after the fact in recent years.
5. A one-year trial for the league to step in on big penalty calls
With the NFL referees in a standoff with the league about a new collective bargaining agreement, we could be headed for another replacement referee situation in 2026, similar to the same thing that happened in 2012. Famously, that year saw a handful of notorious bad calls such as the “Fail Mary” thrown by Russell Wilson.
As a result, for one year only, the league has standards in place to voice its correction on certain plays. It allows league officials to place flags for roughing the passer and intentional grounding and remove flags for facemask, roughing the passer, intentional grounding, horse-collar tackle, illegal contact and pass interference. In the final two minutes and overtime, the limits expand to include unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct. It also applies to roughing and running into the kicker.
6. Allow for more roster flexibility in Week 1 for teams going international
A rule was approved to give the league freedom to adjust roster cut-down dates for teams playing at an international destination in Week 1 of the season. In 2026, this only applies to the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams since they will be playing in Melbourne, Australia, in Week 1.
7. Allow for more working days to construct a Week 1 roster in 2026
A rule was approved by the competition committee to designate the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend as business days to provide clubs with ample time to construct their Week 1 rosters. With the season starting a week later than usual in 2026 (first NFL Sunday is Sept. 13), Labor Day weekend will be big for roster construction.
8. Allow players to return from IR sooner in the season
Prior to this rule change, any player put on the injured reserve (IR) or physically unable to perform (PUP) lists at the beginning of the season had to wait until after Week 4 of the season before they would be eligible to return. Now, that window has shortened to allow players to return after the second week of the season.
The standard four-week wait remains in place for players put on those lists after the start of the season, though.
9. Allow for more contact during legal tampering period
Proposed by the Pittsburgh Steelers and tried on a trial basis in 2025, the rule change for allowing teams to have video or phone calls with up to five unrestricted free agents in the two-day legal tampering period has now been made permanent.
Other rule changes tossed around by the competition committee
The hot topic this time last year in the competition committee was the Tush Push, made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, before a close vote kept the play as legal. While there was brief discussion on the play at the combine by the competition committee, the fairness of the play was not debated at the league meeting this week.
The one rule that was discussed and shut down was a proposal by the Cleveland Browns to allow teams to trade draft picks up to five years out from the current limitation of three years. The Browns pulled their proposal before it was officially voted on, although it wasn’t expected to pass.
This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 1:42 PM.
