The NFL is holding its Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida this week. This annual tradition gets all 32 teams together for several purposes, including discussing potential rule changes that could be implemented during the following season. NFL fans are calling one of the league's newest rule changes an April Fools' Day prank.
NFL owners passed a rule change that will allow both teams to possess the ball in overtime during regular-season games, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini.
Russini added that the overtime period will remain 10 minutes.
Essentially, the NFL has made its playoff overtime rules apply to the regular season as well.
NFL fans were quick to assume that this update was an April Fools' Day prank.
“I don't know what to believe today…” one fan posted in response to Russini's post.
“Really or April fools?” another fan responded.
This NFL overtime rule change was far from the only decision made by league owners on Tuesday morning.
NFL owners made flurry of rule decisions at Annual League Meeting on Tuesday
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell attends an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
NFL owners voted on several other rule change proposals on Tuesday morning.
The league approved proposals to expand its replay-assist system, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. It is not yet clear exactly how the league will expand the system.
NFL owners also approved a modified kickoff rule, which will eliminate a few components of the current XFL-style kickoff approved last offseason. The league removed parts of the rules that changed the alignment requirements of the kicking team on onside kicks and the ability for the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game if trailing, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Finally, league owners did deny one proposal from the Lions. Detroit proposed to eliminate the automatic first down portion on defensive holding and illegal contact penalties. Those rules will remain the same for the 2025 NFL season.
It will be interesting to track addition rule changes at the Annual League Meeting throughout this week.