The first rule change concerns kickoff formations. Rule 6-1-3 gives the receiving team more flexibility in designing return formations, so only five players must be on the restraining line when there are nine players in the setup zone. Previously, six were required. Now, only six are required if there are more than nine players.
The second rule change concerns kickoffs at the fifty-yard line. To prevent a situation where accepting a touchback off a 50-yard-line kickoff is worse than kicking it out of bounds, rule 6-1-5 makes it so that touchbacks from that kickoff placement are now placed at the 20-yard line, versus the 35-yard line like it used to be.
Still keeping with the kicking theme, the third rule drastically changes the concept of onside kicks. While only a trailing team could do onside kicks, Rule 6-1-6 now lets any team declare an onside kick at any point in the game.
The final drastic rule change concerns the power league officials have. Rule 19-2 allows league officials to intervene on a flagrant football or non-football act that wasn't called on the field. Previously, league officials could only help after a flagrant foul had already been called.
The rule states that the decision to intervene must be based on available video, and that the intervention must happen before the next play begins.
For more information regarding the NFL's 2026 playbook rules, you can read the playbook WFRV will update this story as necessary.
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