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What New NFL Safety Rules Passed and What’s Still on Hold?

Mar. 21, 2013 5:00am Liz Klimas

NFL Passes Two Safety Rules Tuesday But Leaves Controversial Helmet Hit Ban to Wednesday Vote The NFL caused a stir last week over some of its proposed safety changes. Voting on the rules Tuesday, owners passed two but left one of the more controversial changes for another day.

The owners outlawed peel-back blocks anywhere on the field; previously, they were illegal only inside the tackle box. A player makes a peel-back block when he is moving toward his goal line, approaches an opponent from behind or the side, and makes contact below the waist.

The penalty will be 15 yards.

“… really under no circumstances will you be permitted to block low below the waist when you’re blocking back toward your own end line,” said Rams coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the competition committee.

Also banned is overloading a formation while attempting to block a field goal or extra point. Defensive teams can now have only six or less players on each side of the snapper at the line of scrimmage. Players not on the line can’t push teammates on the line into blockers, either.

The alignment violation is a 5-yard penalty. The pushing penalty is 15 yards for unnecessary roughness.

As for the more contentious proposal that drew criticism last week — one that would ban offensive players from using the crown of their helmets against defenders in the open field – NFL senior vice president of football operations Ray Anderson said the owners plan to vote on it Wednesday before the meetings end.

NFL Passes Two Safety Rules Tuesday But Leaves Controversial Helmet Hit Ban to Wednesday Vote

San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore is seen during the Super Bowl putting the crown of his helmet into a Baltimore Ravens playing in what would an incidental move. Under the proposed rule, purposefully doing this would result in a penalty. (Photo: AP/Elise Amendola)

The potential change that has drawn the most attention – yes, even more than eliminating the infamous tuck rule, which seems to be a foregone conclusion – is prohibiting ball carriers outside the tackle box from lowering their helmets and making contact with defenders with the crown.

New York Giants owner John Mara, a member of the competition committee that has recommended the change, said there was even “a chance” a vote could be tabled until the May meetings in Boston.

“There was a spirited discussion,” Mara said, adding there was concern of how the rule would be officiated.

Broncos coach John Fox believes passing the rule will not make for a huge challenge for players.

“Right now, the simple equation is they want the helmet used for protection, not as a weapon. I think that message gets across,” Fox said. “It’s slowly gotten across as far as the passing game. Now there are rules on the table that are going to involve the running game as well.

“They will adapt. They have in the past and [they will] moving forward.”

If the rule is passed, coach of the Super Bowl winning Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh, said it might be difficult for officials to call.

“In all fairness, it’s going to be tough on the officials, it’s going to be tough to make that determination at live speed with one look,” Harbaugh said.

New senior director of officiating Alberto Riveron said if the offensive and defensive player are both committing the foul, it would be an offsetting penalty and the down replayed.

Riveron said the key to officiating the play is in showing the officials more plays that are legal.

“That will be a great way to train because as we know it, most of the shots we have seen are legal, most of the contact is legal,” he said. “We are trying to get that one individual situation where the head is lowered – and you can see on the field, you can see a player put his head down – and the contact is with the crown and you can see it.”

Fisher explained further about the proposed ban that it wouldn’t mean the ball carrier couldn’t “get small” and protect the football.

“…if he is going to go down to cover the football, if the shoulder goes down, we know the head goes down, we understand that,” Fisher said. ”Protecting the football is OK, providing you do not strike with the crown of your helmet, and that is what we are trying to differentiate.”

If the rule is passed, committing the foul would be a 15-yard penalty.

Watch SportsCenter’s report on the changes:

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Related:

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Featured image via Shutterstock.com.

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Comments (24)

DRuckster
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:46pm
If the NFL really wants to reduce injuries, they would stop the steroid use. It is my belief that the NFL knows there is rampant steroid problems, but turns a blind eye to it. If you take the steroids away, the guys would not be so big, fast, and everything else the steroids impacts their minds and bodies.

If the NFL was serious, they would require Blood and Hair steroid testing, instead of the easily masked urine test.

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- turkey13
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 7:16pm
  They needs to make players wear 2 helmets and double up on all padding. I think NASCAR is going to slow down all the race cars next year. They will require a governor limiting top speed to 75 MPH.
  
  Report this comment
TEIN
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:29pm
Fisher has stopped being an object coach and is in politician mode….In my opinion, it will cause more injuries…. It will be a major mess to have a running back go through pee-wee football lowering the head, through junior high, high school, college football, then in the pro’s …you can do that here and here, but not there….by then reflex will just kick in and it will happen!! As soon as a running back has to stop and think whether he should lower his head or not it is going to be taken off….

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lembrandt
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:23pm
Virtually every pro football player I have heard and/or read who has commented about this new rule are against it. They say it is stupid, unworkable and will cause more injuries than it will prevent. Therefore I have a suggestion for NFL players (and I’m serious about this and am going to write the players union about it): starting next year in pre-season games, players from both teams agree to use the crown of the helmet on **every** play, preferably multiple times on every play so it cannot be ignored. Make the refs have to call penalty and/or use replay on **every*** play. Make the first quarter last 90 minutes and so on. It would be an extremely effective protest and keep it going if needed. If the NFL says they won’t do anything about it, do it the second game and so on up to and including the season. When CBS has a game that lasts 7 hours, the NFL will redact the rule **immediately**.

This will work…do it.

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RaydocX
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:18pm
Break out the flags..
eliminate the kicking all together.
shrink the field to 40 yards, each team takes turns starting at the 20 and has 4 downs to score, switching off as long as time allows…

dumb? you are damn right… the league’s new rules… RB’s must keep their heads UP, will lead to more not less head injuries. The ‘offsetting penalty’ issue will result in more replayed downs, risking additional injury.

i think i am officially done worrying about ‘my team’ the owners are not concerned with their players or the communities in which they live, only in being able to claim they ‘tried’ to do something to address head injuries, and generating an inferior product for which they will charge more money…

it’s a captive audience, though… not the fan base, but the potential players, willing to risk damaged, shortened lives as their ‘only’ means of escaping crushing poverty in the nanny state.

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Zipit
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:25am
Sad!

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HOOT_OWL
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 10:57am
The CSFL “Cass Sunstein Football League”

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- Bloody Sam
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:21am
  “…prohibiting ball carriers outside the tackle box from lowering their helmets and making contact with defenders with the crown.”
  
  Why in the name of all that is holy has the NFL not yet made a rule that would cause immediate ejection and suspension for any DEFENDER outside the tackle box from lowering their helmets and making contact with BALL CARRIERS with the crown??!!
  
  This is the very action that is causing concussions and head injuries.
  Why would the NFL believe that the ball carrier lowering his helmet be the cause of these injuries?
  It is the defenders, spearing the runners that is causing it. That is not proper tackling technique.
  Never has been and there is only one reason they do it. To injure the ball carrier.
  It is not done in the college ranks. NFL coaches are teaching this and it MUST stop.
  But the NFL has no guts. They would never do anything to reduce the Wow factor of their product.
  
  Report this comment
Armyof One
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 10:42am
It may be confusing to watch, and hard to understand how a goal is made, and why is the ball so weird looking, but Rugby is getting more interesting every day the NFL makes a new rule.

No helmets, no padding. Men bashing men bloddy for control of a ball :)

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- Rowgue
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:22am
  And because they have no helmets and no pads people don’t general use their heads as battering rams.
  
  Seriously using your equipment to try to injure other players is not tough or manly. It’s the biggest p***y way to play there is. If you like rugby then you shouldn’t have a problem with that rule change.
  
  Report this comment
- starman70
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:49am
  Just watch Austrailian Rules Football.
  
  Yes, no matter what sport anyone is involved with, there will always be the potential for injury. However, the better the protective gear, the braver the player will be, thinking that his gear will save him from any permanant injury. This fallacy must be stressed by all the teams and coaches.
  
  Auto racing, X-games, football, swimming, diving (Scuba, platform or board.), baseball, tennis, golf, even chess (A chair leg may break causing injury to a player.), no matter which sport, there is always the potential for injury and even death. Life is a gamble, there are no guarantees. All we can do is be as safe as possible and trust GOD that he will protect us.
  
  If this continues, we will soon see the players in the NFL dressing like 15th century knights jousting or going into battle, in suits of armor made of iron, just to play the game.Talk about slowing the game down.
  
  Report this comment
00gabooga
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:44am
That’s it. I’m done. I might watch the Superbowl for the commercials next year, but no more.

Call me when they get a commissioner with more testosterone. Like Condi Rice.

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Sargeking
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:44am
I know how to eliminate 90% of all football concussions but if the NFL adopts it they will fundamentally change the game. Here’s the skinny. Line up both teams but with a ten yard separation and don’t allow a forward sprint from a three quarter position. That will reduce the shock hits dramatically and concussions accordingly. I know this will work, it’s common sense. As you well know, I have that in abundance (modesty too).

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IndyGuy
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:28am
NFL=Not For Long

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Devildog7777
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:14am
The NFL is on the way out

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Gonzo
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:08am
Don’t blame the NFL. Blame the former players suing the NFL for one last payday. That’s what this is really about.

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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 8:14am
.
It’s the stupid, ignorant from birth, uneducated, whining black(and a few white) athlete with their lawsuits have ruined the NFL. Why does anything Black destroy what ever it touches?…..

College football is next…..Go Gayboy’s……..

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jackact
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 7:51am
How special.
Flag football for pansies.

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Willik
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 6:57am
Just another example of the wussification of the country’s males.
We’re raising a bunch of entitled pansies and fairies.
No PC here! Suck it up and live with it. OOPS, shouldn’t have said ‘suck’ around this group, lest they take offense.
JHermanC!

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dave88
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 6:51am
Next year in the NFL they can no longer tackle a runner, they have to ask him nicely if he will stop running and lay down on the ground.

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- circleDwagons
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 8:49am
  They will also ban throwing the ball, someone might get hit.
  
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hoosierblue
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 6:00am
Pretty soon it will be FLAG football. I’m about ready to give up on NFL football.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 7:10am
  It will be the NFFL then. LOL
  
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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 5:07am
I’m going to build a robot called “Iron Man”, and he’s going to kick their butts?

Well, if females can join, why not machines? At least I know they won’t be gay and target my business for bully boycotts? Ba ha ha ha?

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