What are rules changes in 2026? Red flags, discipline and kickoffs

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  Kevin SeifertSep 9, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

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  Kevin Seifert is a staff writer who covers the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL at ESPN. Kevin has covered the NFL for over 20 years, joining ESPN in 2008. He was previously a beat reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Washington Times. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

The NFL will open its regular season Wednesday (New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) with only a handful of visible rule changes, the product of an offseason that was devoted more toward improving its officiating product than innovating on the field.

The new seven-year collective bargaining agreement, which the NFL and NFL Referees Association agreed to in May, provides for the creation of officiating practice squads, expanded training, and efforts to link compensation with performance rather than seniority. NFL officials spent more time working on site with teams during OTAs and training camp, and close observers might have noticed more frequent use of reserve referees during preseason games.

On the field, owners gave new authority to replay officials, worked with the NFL Players Association to alter discipline for significant penalties and continued to fiddle with the kickoff alignment that debuted in 2024. Let's take a closer look.

Flags and ejections from New York

Owners approved a flurry of officiating procedure changes in March as they prepared for a possible lockout of the NFLRA. Most of the modifications were discarded when the sides reached their labor agreement, but one had been passed for use regardless of whether there was a lockout.

Replay officials in New York now have the authority to both disqualify a player for a flagrant football or non-football act and direct that a penalty be enforced -- even if on-field official had not thrown a flag. Previously, replay officials could only add a disqualification to a penalty that had already been enforced.

Although it might only arise a handful of times this season, the rule represents a notable shift for owners who generally have preferred to avoid having flags thrown by anyone other than officials on the field. The original wording of the proposal only allowed replay officials to disqualify a player who hadn't been penalized. But during discussions at the league meeting in March, several coaches argued that it was only fair to attach a penalty too if replay officials thought the act was flagrant enough to merit disqualification.

So in some ways, owners backed into a new paradigm that could be expanded in future years to include other rules.

Discipline for dangerous penalties

The league and the NFL Players Association agreed to significant changes in the way they will approach enforcement of four in-game fouls designed to limit injuries: the hip-drop tackle, horse collar tackle, launching into a defenseless player and the blindside block.

Players who are penalized three times for any of these fouls (or are fined for them after a postgame review) will be suspended for one game. If a player commits only one of these in-game fouls, he will be refunded 50% of the fine at the end of the season. Teams with what the NFL termed "excessive" levels of these fouls will face fines.

In exchange, the NFLPA negotiated a new system will deliver players partial or full refunds of fines for a first offense in some other penalties as well. Previously, players could appeal fines and sometimes they would be rescinded by an arbitrator. Here's a full look at how the new system will work if a single foul is not repeated during a season, according to the NFL:

• No refunds for fouls against game officials, fighting, throwing a punch/forearm/kick and violent gestures will not be eligible for a first offense refund.

• 50% refunds for fines on one-time offenses of horse collars, hip drops, launching or blindside blocks.

• 100% refunds for fines on one-time offenses for striking, kicking, tripping or kneeing an opponent; face mask; leg whip; late hit; use of helmet; roughing the passer; low block; chop block; unsportsmanlike conduct (except as detailed above); taunting; throwing a football into the stands.

Players will be eligible for only one refund on a first offense if they have multiple fouls from different categories.

Kickoff adjustments

The NFL continued to fiddle with the new kickoff alignment it introduced for the 2024 season.

Last season's changes dramatically increased the return rate, as intended, to 74.5% from 32.8% in 2024. There were a total of 1,157 more returned kickoffs from 2024 to 2025, but that also raised the number of concussions on kickoffs from eight to 35. The rate of concussions per kickoff also rose from 0.87% to 1.79%, which was lower than the seasons prior to 2024.

The NFL has reduced from six to five the minimum number of players on the receiving team who must have a foot on their restraining line, which is their own 35-yard line on normal kickoffs. The receiving team can now have a maximum of four players in the setup zone, which is the 5-yard area behind the restraining line, and there are new guidelines for where the players in that setup zone can align.

The NFL also eliminated a loophole that incentivized teams to intentionally kick out of bounds when penalty enforcement moves the kickoff to the 50-yard line, a maneuver that would force a spot at the 25-yard line rather than the 40 if it happened on a normal kickoff. Moving forward, a touchback on a kickoff from the 50-yard line will be spotted at the 20-yard line, giving teams incentive to kick off normally in those situations.

Designated red flag thrower

For the first time this season, head coaches can designate a member of their sideline staff to initiate challenges by throwing the red flag. If a coach chooses an alternate, that person must be identified during the team's pregame meeting with the officiating crew.

Teams will still have at least two coaches' challenges available to them, and will get a third if either of the first two are successful. It is hard to imagine a head coach delegating the actual decision to use one, but in theory, having another person hold the red flag could prevent the occasional emotional decision to initiate a challenge.

One more onside kick tweak

Last year, the NFL began allowing teams to declare an onside kick at any point in the game, provided they were trailing their opponent after previously permitting it only in the fourth quarter. This season, the requirement to be trailing was eliminating. Teams can declare an onside kick whether they are ahead, tied or behind in the game and at any point of the game.