New Policies

!Plays involving ballcarriers with no helmet will now be blown dead immediately.

• The umpire now will be stationed behind the offensive backfield rather than in the linebackers area after the competition committee saw "a hundred" examples of umpires being run over. * During a field-goal or extra-point attempt, the defensive team can't position any player on the line directly across from the snapper. Previously, a player needed to have his helmet outside the snapper's shoulder pads. * If a punt returner makes a fair-catch signal and muffs the ball, he is entitled to "reasonable opportunity" to recover before it hits the ground without interference of the coverage team. The ball will be rewarded at the spot of the interference, but there will be no penalty yardage marked off. * If the clock is stopped in the final minute of either half for a replay review, but wouldn't have stopped without the review, officials will run off 10 seconds before resuming play. Either team could take a timeout to void the 10-second runoff.