NFL Rule Changes and How They Impact Steelers

The NFL has implemented several changes, all directly impacting the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers v Atlanta Falcons / Todd Kirkland/GettyImages

ORLANDO -- The Pittsburgh Steelers watched as several rule changes were made at the NFL Meetings, redirecting the course of their upcoming season and impacting how they'll view their team moving forward. 

Here's how they impact the Steelers:

NFL Trade Deadline

The Steelers were a driving force behind the league pushing back the trade deadline. The new date will now happen after Week 9, with Nov. 5 being the deadline during the 2024 season. 

"I think it's just an adjustment that now that we have a prolonger season, just catching up with the fact that the season is a week longer now," team President Art Rooney II told reporters at the NFL Meetings.

The Steelers lost inside linebacker Cole Holcomb just days after the deadline last season and then Kwon Alexander shortly after. Without the ability to seek another starter, they turned to practice squad member Mykal Walker and eventually signed veteran Myles Jack, who had retired prior to joining the team. 

Emergency Quarterback

The NFL also changed the emergency quarterback rule, allowing a team to elevate a practice squad QB to the active/inactive roster for gameday and dress. Last season, teams had to hold three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster but did not need to use a gameday roster spot for that third quarterback. 

Teams can promote their third quarterback from the practice squad an unlimited number of times throughout the season, unlike other players who can only be elevated three times before having to sign to the 53-man roster.

For the Steelers, it could add an extra roster spot to their 53-man team. The team typically carries three quarterbacks into the season, allowing themselves to have options in case of injuries. Now, they can alternate their plans, which could effect what quarterback is their third-string. 

This could open up an opportunity for developing rookies instead of holding a veteran as their QB3. On the other hand, it does limit the number of elevations a team has on any given gameday, which the Steelers will consider when deciding how to approach the situation. 

Kickoff Changes

The NFL passed a pretty significant change to their kickoff, changing the format to a "hybrid kickoff," which should allow for more returns while causing less injuries. Despite the Steelers not being in favor of the change, the did vote for it and are "interested" to see how it turns out.

"It's a dramatic change, no way around that," Rooney said. "We had some reservations because of that. It's going to be interesting."

"You know, just having the perspective of being on the committee for a long time. It seems like just about every year we're talking about the kickoff or every other year, we're talking about the kickoff in some form or fashion. I just think that it really illustrates our desire to make the game safer from a player perspective. And so, a lot of the changes have centered around concussion and
head injury, but more recently, and particularly with this discussion is less about concussions and more just about the injury rate, various types of injury," head coach Mike Tomlin said at the NFL Meetings prior to the owners' decision. "We spend a lot of time talking about the space and the speed associated with special teams plays that make them more dangerous than scrimmage plays. And I think that's what this hybrid kickoff is attempting to address, the space and speed component and thus the injury rate component."

Here's a quick breakdown of the rule change (via NFL Communications press release): 

• The ball is kicked from the A35 yard line.
• Safety kicks would be from A20 yard line. 
• All kicking team players other than the kicker will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s B40 yard line.
• Kicker cannot cross the 50-yard line until ball touches the ground or player in landing zone or endzone.
• The 10 kicking team players cannot move until the ball hits the ground or player in the landing zone or the end zone.
• Receiving team will setup Zone – a 5-yard area from the B35 to the B30 yard line where at least 9 receiving team players must line up.
• At least 7 players with foot on the B35 yard line (restraining line) with alignment requirements (outside numbers, numbers to hashes, and inside hashes).
• Players not on the restraining line must be lined up in setup zone outside the hash marks.
• All players in the setup zone cannot move until the kick has hit the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone.
• A maximum of 2 returners may line up in the landing zone and can move at any time prior to, or during, the kick.
• No fair catch signals.

How does this impact the Steelers? 

Well, the rule is supposed to force more returns and less touchbacks, which should provide more value to the returner position. Last season, Anthony McFarland found himself back on the practice squad due to his lack of impact on punt and kick coverage, and strictly being a running back/returner. Godwin Igwebuike had more all-around value. That could change now. 

Teams will put more of an emphasis on finding their star return specialist. The Steelers have candidates on their roster like Calvin Austin and Quez Watkins. Jaylen Warren has also taken back some kick returns. 

Special teams coordinator Danny Smith is going to be tasked with finding the most electrifying return man, which should only add more excitement to this roster in 2024.  

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