New NFL bylaws for 2020 season approved, 4th and 15 onside kick proposal tabled

After much deliberation and leaks with regard to bylaws and rule changes being proposed, NFL owners have finally decided on the changes that will be implemented and the ones that will not be at this time.

One new rule that was discussed, but ultimately was tabled was the rule that would give the option for a team to line up in a 4th and 15 in lieu of attempting an onside kick.

NFL owners have tabled the 4th-and-15 alternative to the onside kick, I’m told. Further discussion needed.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2020

Typically this would be an option taken by a team that had just scored, but was still behind without enough time to get the ball back should they kick it off. But the rule was open to any team during the last two minutes of the game.

One new bylaw is that teams will now be allowed to return up to three players from injured reserve during the season – up from two.

A bylaw change increasing the number of players that may be designated to return from injured reserve from two to three was approved, I'm told.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2020

There were other rule changes as well.

Three rules change proposals were approved:

2. Make permanent expansion of automatic replay reviews to include scoring plays/turnovers negated by foul

8. Expands defenseless player protection for KR/PR

9. Prevents manipulation of game clock with multiple deal-ball fouls

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2020

As you might expect, when the word “manipulation” comes up, it was Bill Belichick and the Patriots that were doing it.

NFL owners ratified a proposal to prevent the sort of manipulation of the game clock, with multiple dead-ball penalties with the clock running, done last season by the Patriots and Titans.

— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) May 28, 2020