What are NFL rules changes in 2026? Red flags, kickoffs - ESPN

The NFL will open its regular season Wednesday (New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) with only a handful of visible rule changes, the product of an offseason that was devoted more toward improving its officiating product than innovating on the field.

The new seven-year collective bargaining agreement, which the NFL and NFL Referees Association agreed to in May, provides for the creation of officiating practice squads, expanded training, and efforts to link compensation with performance rather than seniority. NFL officials spent more time working on site with teams during OTAs and training camp, and close observers might have noticed more frequent use of reserve referees during preseason games.

On the field, owners gave new authority to replay officials, worked with the NFL Players Association to alter discipline for significant penalties and continued to fiddle with the kickoff alignment that debuted in 2024. Let's take a closer look.

Owners approved a flurry of officiating procedure changes in March as they prepared for a possible lockout of the NFLRA. Most of the modifications were discarded when the sides reached their labor agreement, but one had been passed for use regardless of whether there was a lockout.

Replay officials in New York now have the authority to both disqualify a player for a flagrant football or non-football act and direct that a penalty be enforced — even if on-field official had not thrown a flag. Previously, replay officials could only add a disqualification to a penalty that had already been enforced.

Although it might only arise a handful of times this season, the rule represents a notable shift for owners who generally have preferred to avoid having flags thrown by