ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions are staying busy, submitting three rule change proposals to the NFL.
Detroit’s proposals deal with doing away with automatic first downs for defensive holding and illegal touching, as well as changing wild-card seeding and injured reserve limitations coming out of training camp.
The first proposal aims “to eliminate an automatic first down as a penalty imposed for defensive holding and illegal contact.” Detroit wants to see those infractions become 5-yard penalties without the automatic first down added.
It’s an interesting move, considering Detroit’s top two cornerbacks, DJ Reed and Terrion Arnold, combined for 21 defensive penalties last season. Reed was fourth among the most penalized cornerbacks, and Arnold wasn’t far behind at seventh.
The reasoning behind the first proposal was for, “Competitive equity. Current penalty enforcement is too punitive for the defense.”
The second proposal wants to tweak the current playoff seeding, opening the door for a wild-card team to be seeded higher than a division winner based on who has the better record. Detroit has won back-to-back NFC North titles, but this one is interesting, with the 14-3 Minnesota Vikings fresh off a road trip in the wild-card round as the No. 5 seed.
Detroit listed the reason for this proposal for enhancing excitement and competition later in the season, and that it “rewards the best-performing teams from the regular season.”
The third suggested change focuses on allowing a player added to injured reserve on cutdown day not to be counted against the 90-player limit unless said player is designated to return.
The Lions argue this would provide logical roster flexibility, allowing teams with a high amount of injuries (sound familiar?) to have more wiggle room entering the season.
Other notable rule change proposals come from the Green Bay Packers trying to outlaw the tush-push. The Packers want to make it illegal for an offensive player to push a teammate lined directly behind the snapper.
The Philadelphia Eagles want overtime and regular-season overtime rules to be aligned, allowing both teams an opportunity to touch the ball regardless of how the first series of the extra period results.
To read the full list of rule proposals and corresponding explanations, [click here](https://media.nfl.com/content/dam/communications/football-communications/2025/news/Club%20Proposals%20-%202025%20Playing%20Rules,%20Bylaw%20and%20Resolution%20Proposals%20Submitted%20by%20Clubs.pdf).