With the NFL’s annual meeting taking place in less than a week, the competition committee is ready with its set of agendas. While discussion of the highly debated Tush-Push removal will be out of the picture, the league isn’t short on changes. The committee plans to propose five fresh changes that could shape both gameplay and officiating heading into the 2026 season. 

“The Tush Push will not come back up for a vote at next week’s NFL annual meeting,” Front Office Sports wrote on X. “Instead, there will be five other new rules under consideration by the league’s competition committee.”

Owners of all 32 NFL franchises will gather in Phoenix, Arizona, from March 29 to April 1 to weigh in on playing rules, bylaws, and resolution proposals. Ahead of this annual ritual, the league’s Competition Committee outlined five proposals on Tuesday. Here’s a look at each one of them:

• The first change involves onside kicks, which teams can currently attempt only if trailing. If passed, the new rule would allow franchises to attempt onside kicks anytime during the game.
• The second proposal demands ‌the removal of incentives for those teams that deliberately kick the ball out of bounds while attempting to score from midfield. Teams often use this trick to avoid risky returns, but the committee wants to discourage such a mindset.
• The third rule focuses on adjusting the receiving team’s alignment during kickoffs.
• The committee wants to allow on-field officials to consult with league officials in cases of player disqualification over both football and non-football issues. This will be applicable even if the referee hasn’t originally penalized the player.
• The fifth rule requests the NFL officiating department to make necessary corrections if on-field officials make obvious mistakes on impactful plays. It could be more beneficial during a lockout by the NFL Referees Association, which could hamper work.

Currently, the NFLRA and the NFL haven’t been able to reach common ground in the latest negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement. As a contingency plan, the league could bring in replacement coaches until the matter is resolved. They previously implemented this during the 2012 season after a lockout by the NFL Referees Association.

It ended up sparking criticism from players and coaches because of a decline in the quality of play. Meanwhile, the competition committee must receive approval from 24 owners for the league to green-light these proposals. In addition to these changes, the Browns and the Steelers have proposed two of their own.

NFL changes: Cleveland pushes for expanded draft picks while Pittsburgh targets free agency

The NFL released a memo on March 18, outlining proposals by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. The changes requested by the AFC North rival duo could shape the offseason dramatically. Moreover, they could ramp up team participation before the annual trade deadline. The Browns’ proposal involves trading draft picks. Currently, the league allows teams to trade their picks only within the next three drafts.

Cleveland wants the league to extend that window to five years so that teams can plan their long-term moves more effectively. The move would give franchises extra flexibility to revamp their rosters, especially for teams that rely on aggressive upgrades. The additional time would allow teams to be more creative. They can structure deals that better match the value of both players and picks.

Additionally, it could improve the usage of draft capital across the league. It could also boost overall parity, alignment of salary cap cycles, and an active trade market. If approved, these changes could lead to a positive shift, given the increase in trade activity right before the deadline in recent years. Meanwhile, the Steelers are pushing for a change in the flow of trade discussions during free agency.

The team wants to tweak the league’s “legal tampering window.” It is basically a short period before the free market opens. Under the proposal, Pittsburgh wants the league to allow teams to have direct contact with up to five pending unrestricted free agents during that window. The move would allow grant teams to make a voice or video call or discuss travel plans. Currently, franchises can only communicate with a player’s agent and not directly with the player.

To maintain transparency, the league could make it necessary for franchises to report all communication details to the league’s Player Personnel Department. Interestingly, the NFL already tested this approach in 2026 by allowing limited direct contact. And now, the Steelers want to make that temporary change a permanent part of the free agency process.