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Channeling Freddie Mitchell: Eagles to propose 4th-and-26-like onside-kick alternative at virtual league meeting

The NFL owners will consider seven rule-change proposals next week. Two of them have been authored by the Eagles, including an interesting alternative to onside kicks.

Freddie Mitchell hauls in the catch on the now iconic "4th and 26" that helped send the Eagles past Green Bay in the 2003 divisional playoff game.
Freddie Mitchell hauls in the catch on the now iconic "4th and 26" that helped send the Eagles past Green Bay in the 2003 divisional playoff game.Read moreJerry Lodriguss / Staff

The NFL owners will hold a virtual league meeting on May 28. The agenda includes consideration of seven rule-change proposals, including two from the Eagles.

The Eagles initially proposed four rule changes, but withdrew two of them – one that had to do with blindside blocks, and another changing the length of the overtime period back to 15 minutes (it’s currently 10) and minimizing the benefit of the overtime coin toss.

The two Eagles-authored rule-change proposals still on the agenda:

  1. Providing an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team that is trailing in the game another way of maintaining possession after scoring.

  2. Making permanent the expansion of automatic instant-replay reviews to include scoring plays and turnovers negated by a penalty, as well as any successful or unsuccessful extra-point or two-point conversion attempt.

The Eagles’ onside-kick alternative would allow the trailing team to substitute one offensive play for the kickoff. The trailing team would get the ball at its 25-yard line in a fourth-and-15 situation. If it converts the first down, it would keep the ball.

One NFL executive said the Eagles’ onside-kick alternative is expected to generate considerable discussion.

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The five other rule-change proposals that will be discussed by the owners next week:

  1. Providing the option to the defense for the game clock to start on the referee’s signal when the defense declines an offensive penalty that occurs late in either half (proposed by the Dolphins).

  2. Adding a “booth umpire" as an eighth game official to the officiating crew (proposed by the Ravens and Chargers).

  3. Adding a senior technology advisor to the officiating crew (also proposed by the Ravens and Chargers).

  4. Expanding the defenseless-player protection to include a kickoff or punt returner who is in possession of the ball but who has not had time to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent (proposed by the Competition Committee).

  5. Preventing teams from manipulating the game clock by committing multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running (also proposed by the Competition Committee).