The NFL’s annual league meetings have come and gone, and the 2025 version came with some notable changes. Let’s dive into the latest from The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.
The push to outlaw the tush push
Sixteen teams were on board with banning the tush push, which ultimately led to Tuesday’s vote being tabled until May. With 24 teams needed to pass the Green Bay Packers‘ proposal, don’t expect the league’s most polarizing play to be deemed illegal before this season.
“You’re still eight teams away from banning the play,” an NFL general manager told FOX Sports. “That’s a lot of teams. You’re still not that close. It’s pretty simple: If you’re getting crushed by the play, you don’t want it, or you cite the injury concern or how ugly it looks. But half the league doesn’t have an issue with it. There’s no magic bullet here to ban the tush push.”
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To that point, many in favor of the play have either asked for the data supporting its injury risk and/or grown increasingly frustrated with the idea that the play could be banned.
Not everyone feels the same way, of course, which means the conversation will continue.
“I think that makes a lot of sense in many ways because that expands it beyond that single play,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “There are a lot of plays where you see people pushing or pulling somebody that are not in the tush-push formation that I think do have an increased risk of injury. So, I think the Committee will look at that and come back in May with some proposals.”
Goodell’s opinion and overall sphere of influence could have significance, as the commissioner has swayed owners in different directions over the years. But flipping eight of them won’t be easy.
Emmanuel Acho on NFL owners tabling a proposal to ban the tush push
Since nobody loves a cross-sport parallel more than me, I’d say the best comparison was when the NBA began penalizing teams for the famed “hack-a-Shaq” strategy during the 2016-2017 season.
What was once a competitive advantage to foul the great Shaquille O’Neal, a notoriously poor free-throw shooter, became completely mitigated when the league began penalizing “away-from-the-play” fouls, and in turn, awarded the fouled team free throws and possession of the ball in the final two minutes of each period.
Of course, O’Neal retired six years earlier, but it was a notable rule change and constant debate within NBA circles — not unlike the tush push, which the Philadelphia Eagles have perfected en route to appearing in two of the past three Super Bowls.
“You want my real opinion on this?” the current NFL GM asked. “I think it’s pretty soft to ban a play just because you can’t stop it. I’ll leave the names out of it, but I think you know who I’m talking about.”
The return of the KO return
The league’s new kickoff format was a win in its first season — most notably, concussion rates on kickoffs dropped 43% from 2023 — so it wasn’t surprising to see the rule expanded. Fans, however, still want more action, and with touchbacks now moving to the 35-yard line, we should expect a significant rise in returns.
“It’s a cat-and-mouse game for kickers,” a special teams coordinator said. “Now there’s a real tax to pay if you try to avoid returns. If you kick deep, you’re basically two first downs away from field goal range. That’s gonna mess with guys. In our building, we’d rather take our chances on a return than let [Josh] Allen, [Patrick] Mahomes or [Joe] Burrow start with that kind of field position.”
Broncos special teams coach and football lifer Darren Rizzi, a major advocate and architect of the rule change, echoed that sentiment.
“The space and speed of the play were significantly reduced from what we’re used to, and it was a tremendous success,” he told reporters. “That’s why we felt the time was right to move the touchback back to the 35 and return to the original formation we proposed.”
The NFL saw roughly 33% of kickoffs returned a season ago. The league now believes that number could double with this tweak.
Recruiting season
One of the more interesting rule changes this week originated from the Steelers, with teams now allowed to have one video or phone call with up to five prospective free agents before the official start of free agency.
Previously, teams could only speak with a player’s agent, though not every organization followed that rule. Just last year, the Falcons were docked a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft and fined $250,000 for violating the NFL’s anti-tampering policy related to free-agent signings (see: quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner). Additionally, the league fined Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot $50,000.
At least one former GM believes the new allowance will greatly benefit certain teams:
“That’s a huge advantage for guys like Andy Reid, Sean McVay or Mike Tomlin. Those guys aren’t just great coaches — they’re great recruiters. This rule will benefit them and anyone who can emulate their approach when it comes to landing top free agents.”
Jordan Schultz on the latest with Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers
Rodgers back in yellow?
As we’ve previously reported, all signs continue to point toward Aaron Rodgers joining the Steelers. Owner Art Rooney and head coach Mike Tomlin made some rather telling comments in Palm Beach, adding to the speculation.
Rodgers recently had a throwing session with DK Metcalf, and the feeling around the league has certainly shifted — now to a matter of when, not if, the four-time MVP will sign with Pittsburgh.
That addition wouldn’t preclude the Steelers from drafting a quarterback, however. While they likely wouldn’t be in the market for a QB in the first round, they’ll continue adding to a room that includes just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson regardless of what Rodgers decides.
Jordan Schultz is an NFL Insider for FOX Sports. He also co-hosts the “Why Is Draymond Green Talking About Football?” show. You can follow him on X at @Schultz_Report.
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