Which, if any, old rules would make the NFL more interesting/exciting?

[Stewie]

I did a little research on rule changes in professional football over the last 100+ years. Some crazy rules back in the day.

I cherry-picked a few that might be feasible in today's NFL.

Pick up to 3 choices

[TEX]

Originally Posted by the steam

Go back to the old kickoff rules. Kick from the 30, running starts allowed for regular and onside kicks, touchback comes out to the 20

Agreed.

[loochy]

How about this rule?

If a player on a particular team gets injured, that team reserves the right to abandon the gane without penalty

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

None of the above

[RunKC]

Get rid of the onside kick. Not just because it’s incredibly dangerous, but also bc it’s boring and it seems like it’s converted only 18% of the time, but that counts teams doing kickoffs this way so it’s really probably around 10-12% for true onside kick situations at the end of the game.

A few ideas for alternatives:

• 55 yard FG, opposing team dictates which direction kicker kicks. If successful, then that team starts with the ball at their own 25 like a kickoff touchback.
• Down and 10 from own 5 yard line. If team converts that in one try they get the ball. If not converted in one try, opposing team gets back and attempt marked as “failed”

The success rate for 3rd and long on average is probably around 30ish %, of course for the Chiefs it’s damn near 50.

Don’t tell me that wouldn’t make the games more fun

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Get rid of the onside kick. Not just because it’s incredibly dangerous, but also bc it’s boring and it seems like it’s converted only 18% of the time, but that counts teams doing kickoffs this way so it’s really probably around 10-12% for true onside kick situations at the end of the game.

A few ideas for alternatives:

• 55 yard FG, opposing team dictates which direction kicker kicks. If successful, then that team starts with the ball at their own 25 like a kickoff touchback.
• Down and 10 from own 5 yard line. If team converts that in one try they get the ball. If not converted in one try, opposing team gets back and attempt marked as “failed”

The success rate for 3rd and long on average is probably around 30ish %, of course for the Chiefs it’s damn near 50.

Don’t tell me that wouldn’t make the games more fun

Every team would kick the FG for the free possession every touchdown. Bad kicking teams would constantly get blown out and the Ravens would go undefeated. Dome teams would dominate. Dome teams would rejoice and the Broncos would love it cause at elevation, distance isn't tough.

If the other team's kicker is on, entire halves or more of Chiefs games would go by without Mahomes even getting a drive.

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

Originally Posted by Gary Cooper

DPI should be 15 yards only, like in college football.

Completely agree. This is the thread winner by a large margin. People always say it would ruin the game cause DBs would constantly commit DPI on purpose. But given it's how college works and it works FINE, far better, proves that's a baseless concern.

Name me one big college game decided on a controversial intentional DPI to prevent a touchdown. I will respond with one NFL game decided on a DPI that effectively awarded a free touchdown. My list would be real long and I'm not sure a list could even be created against me.

[crayzkirk]

Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch

Completely agree. This is the thread winner by a large margin. People always say it would ruin the game cause DBs would constantly commit DPI on purpose. But given it's how college works and it works FINE, far better, proves that's a baseless concern.

Name me one big college game decided on a controversial intentional DPI to prevent a touchdown. I will respond with one NFL game decided on a DPI that effectively awarded a free touchdown. My list would be real long and I'm not sure a list could even be created against me.

Also, the 5 yard holding penalty should NOT be an automatic first down. Every penalty against the defense except offsides results in a first down.

[the steam]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Get rid of the onside kick. Not just because it’s incredibly dangerous, but also bc it’s boring and it seems like it’s converted only 18% of the time, but that counts teams doing kickoffs this way so it’s really probably around 10-12% for true onside kick situations at the end of the game.

A few ideas for alternatives:

• 55 yard FG, opposing team dictates which direction kicker kicks. If successful, then that team starts with the ball at their own 25 like a kickoff touchback.
• Down and 10 from own 5 yard line. If team converts that in one try they get the ball. If not converted in one try, opposing team gets back and attempt marked as “failed”

The success rate for 3rd and long on average is probably around 30ish %, of course for the Chiefs it’s damn near 50.

Don’t tell me that wouldn’t make the games more fun

I've thought this was a good idea(1 play to make x amount of yards to keep possession) but I think it would just lead to the refs deciding more games with terrible calls. Imagine the outrage when refs start calling phantom defensive holding and roughing the passer on these huge plays late in the game

[ljmhawk]

Originally Posted by Gary Cooper

DPI should be 15 yards only, like in college football.

a 5 yard defensive hood shouldn’t be an automatic first down.
intentional grounding should be an automatic 4th down

[BleedingRed]

So I have a idea, but some of you are not going to like it........