The NFL updated its rule book with new points of emphasis ahead for the 2025 season.

The league provided details earlier this month in a teleconference call with NFL media members. Here is everything Broncos Country needs to know ahead of the Week 1 home opener against the Titans.

Kickoffs

The NFL implemented its “dynamic kickoff rule” last season to encourage more returns and better protect head safety. It worked.

In 2024, the league reported a kickoff return rate of 32.8% (919 total). That marks an improvement from 2023 when the return rate was 21.8% (587 total) with traditional kickoffs. There were also seven kickoffs returned for touchdowns last season — the most since 2021.

The NFL also reported the fewest number of player concussions (190) since at least 2015 when the league began reporting data; not including the 2020 season with canceled preseason and modified training camp. The NFL credited guardian caps in practice and the dynamic kickoff rule, which reduces top-speed collisions.

But more updates are coming to NFL kickoffs in 2025.

The league is allowing teams that are trailing to declare an onside kick at any point in the game instead of just the fourth quarter. The dynamic kickoff also will be modified with new alignment requirements for the receiving team. The biggest change?

The dead ball spot after a touchback — if it lands and is downed in the end zone or goes out of bounds behind the goal line — has been moved from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line. The purpose is to deter teams from intentional touchbacks and further increase the return rate.

“I was a big part of the new kickoff rule,” Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said. “I think there are a lot of nuances that the fans aren’t really aware of yet until the regular season kind of gets going, but there’s going to be a lot of exciting plays. … You’re going to see a lot of balls put in play.”

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First-down measurements

Say goodbye to chain measurements to determine first downs.

The NFL has adopted a procedure, similar to professional tennis, which uses technology to determine exact football placement in relation to the yard marker. It is called Sony’s Hawk-Eye Virtual Measurement Technology and will use “six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the position of the ball.”

The system debuted in preseason games with virtual recreations of measurements, produced in real time, for the in-stadium video boards and broadcast audience. The NFL estimates the process takes around 30 seconds while saving up to 40 seconds in comparison to chain measurements.

“The way it looks on the jumbotron, it kind of looks like Wimbledon. Like the in-and-out thing that they do in tennis,” Broncos starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “If it’s as accurate as that is for their sport, hopefully it’s as accurate for ours. I guess anything to take a little human error out of the piece is valuable. To keep the pace of play going and get the right calls. So the game isn’t won or lost by something crappy.”

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Taunting

In 2017, the NFL loosened rules on celebrating touchdowns in the end zone. The league allowed players to use the football as a prop and to celebrate as a group. Now, the pendulum is swinging back in the opposite direction.

Walt Anderson, the NFL’s officiating rules analyst, explained why the league will begin cracking down on celebrations in 2025 with violent or sexual gestures.

“Sportsmanship is a point of emphasis and clarification for the players and the clubs this year,” Anderson said. “Our taunting was up about 55 percent last year. Unsportsmanlike gestures (like) shooting a gun or brandishing of a gun, or inappropriate gestures like a throat slash or unfortunate sexual gestures that were made, those were up almost 133 percent.”

For example: Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto regularly celebrated big plays last year by wiping his index finger under his nose. The gesture was reportedly popularized by rappers like Young Thug and Future, and referenced in their songs. The “nose wipe” is now considered a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

“I think we all understand at this point what we can and can’t do,” Broncos safety Brandon Jones said.

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Replay assist

The NFL will expand its use of instant replay to assist on-field officials with correcting penalties that are clearly reversable upon review. Replay assist will now be applicable to the following penalties:

—Roughing the passer based (only on hits to head/neck area).

—Intentional Grounding (only relative to the pocket/ ball landing beyond line of scrimmage).

—Unnecessary roughness related to forcibly contacting a runner when he is out of bounds, forcibly hitting a defenseless player’s head/neck area or pulling the facemask/helmet opening.

—A horse-collar tackle.

—Tripping.

—Roughing or running into the kicker.