Rules of the XFL Games, Comparison to the NFL

The new XFL, which will be relaunched early 2020 has made some rules which are different from the NFL. They want to be innovative and they want to spice up their games. They have made a few rule changes to the professional rule book to be unique and to stand out. Majority of the new rules were very noticeable. Below are the rules for the games of the XFL:

XFL Rules From The Past

– There is no coin toss to determine which team will get the ball first which is traditionally done in the NFL. Instead of the coin toss, the action in the XFL will start before the game even kicks off. Players from each team will line up on the 35-yard line. The referee will blow the whistle and each player will dash to the 50-yard line where a ball will be placed. The team that recovers the ball has the choice to kick or receive.

– Returning teams must run kickoffs back out of the end zone, unless the kick goes through the end zone.

– The extra point will either be a pass or a run and it will only be attempted after a touchdown.

– Receivers only need one foot inbounds for a pass reception.

– Defensive players may use bump-and-run tactics on offensive players down the field. This was changed back to NFL rule eliminating the bump-and-run only after 4 weeks.

– Teams have 35 seconds to get a playoff after previous play is ruled dead and 25 seconds following any clock stoppage.

– Quarterbacks who slide can be downed just by contact and can’t be hit.

– No in the grasp rule, the play stops when forward progress is halted.

– College football overtime system was used. In overtime, each team will have at least one possession, a maximum of four downs from the opposition’s 20-yard line, unless a defensive touchdown is scored on the first possession. However, if the first team scores a touchdown in fewer than four downs, the second team only gets that many plays to respond.

– Offensive back is allowed in motion toward line of scrimmage before ball is snapped.

– No fair catches are permitted, but the returning player is granted a 5-yard protected halo where a member of the kicking team may not encroach until the ball is touched. The kicking team may not cross the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted. At the same time, any punt traveling more than 25 yards past the line of scrimmage is a live ball and can be recovered by either team.