NFL rule changes 2025: Tush push survives, new onside-kick policy and every other new rule coming next season
By Chris Cwik, Contributing writer
The NFL has its new rules for the 2025 season. After months of debate, at least one key issue was resolved at Wednesday’s owners meetings.
While the NFL will look pretty much the same, there are a few key changes coming to the game for the 2025 season. Here’s what fans can expect to see once regular-season games start up again in September.
Tush push survives after furious debate
One of the biggest and most controversial rule changes on the docket this offseason was the tush push. The Green Bay Packers wanted to ban the play. The Philadelphia Eagles, as you might expect, were very opposed to the idea.
In the end, the Eagles got their way. The proposal to ban the tush push — which needed 24 votes to pass — came up short Wednesday. NFL team owners voted 22-10 in favor of banning the play, coming in two votes under the required number for a ban.
The Eagles and every other NFL team are free to run the tush push as much as they want in 2025.
NFL approves onside kicks in any quarter
One issue that passed without controversy involved a change to the league’s onside-kick policy. Under the previous policy, teams could declare an onside kick only in the fourth quarter of games. The new policy, which was adopted by the league Wednesday, allows teams to declare onside kicks at any point in the game.
The team that declares an onside kick needs to be trailing in the contest. That part of the rule is not changing.
As part of the new policy, the onside kick will be kicked from the 34-yard line, and not the 35-yard line, per The Athletic.
NFL players can compete in the Olympics
On Tuesday, NFL franchise owners voted unanimously to allow players to try out for flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The 32 clubs will allow one of their players to play on each country’s team. The NFL’s international pathway players will also be allowed to participate without restrictions.
The change could result in interest from multiple prominent NFL players. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was among the first to hype up the possibility after the proposal passed Tuesday, saying it was a dream to win a gold medal for the United States.
Lions’ playoff-reseeding proposal tabled at the last minute
The final issue on the docket for the May meetings was scrapped at the last minute. The Detroit Lions’ proposal to alter how the NFL playoffs were seeded was taken off the table before a vote occurred. The team reportedly did not have enough support for the proposal, and opted to remove it from consideration.
It’s possible the proposal gets reintroduced in the future, but playoff seeding will remain unchanged for the 2025 NFL season.
The tush-push ban, onside-kick change, Olympic eligibility and the Lions’ reseeding proposal were the four main issues to be discussed by team owners in May.
The league also adopted a handful of new rules and policies at its league meetings in March. Those changes are listed below.
Both teams will possess the ball in overtime
The NFL is changing its overtime rules in 2025, but they should look familiar. In 2025, both teams will receive a possession in overtime during regular-season games. It’s the same overtime format the NFL used in the postseason in 2024.
The league’s overtime format became a popular topic of discussion following the Kansas City Chiefs’ 42-36 win over the Buffalo Bills in 2022. After tying the game at the end of regulation, the Chiefs won the coin toss in overtime and scored on their first possession. The Bills were eliminated from the playoffs without touching the ball in overtime.
Months later, the NFL altered its overtime policy for the postseason, allowing both teams to possess the ball in overtime. If the score is still tied after both teams have a possession, the next team to score will win the game. That policy will now also apply during regular-season games after it was approved in March.
NFL expands use of replay assist
Replay review can be used to look at even more plays in 2025. Under the new policy, “hits on a defenseless player, grabbing the facemask, performing a horse-collar tackle, tripping and running into or roughing the kicker” can be reviewed, according to Pro Football Talk.
In order for those penalties to be reviewed, officials need to first throw a flag on the play. A coach may challenge the play if they believe that penalty was unwarranted. Coaches cannot use a challenge to try and coax a penalty from an official. If a flag wasn’t thrown on a particular play, or if an official missed a penalty, a coach cannot challenge to try and change that.
