Updates

The NFL’s 32 owners approved three playing rules proposals changes that the Competition Committee presented today at the annual meeting in Phoenix.

• It is now illegal for an offensive player with an eligible number to report as an ineligible receiver and line up outside the core of the formation. The rule stems from the Divisional Round playoff game between the Patriots and Ravens in which the Patriots declared normally eligible receivers as ineligible to confuse the Ravens.
• Officials will now be able to enforce any unsportsmanlike conduct fouls that occur at the end of a half on the ensuing kickoff of the next half or overtime.
• Clubs will be able to assign jersey numbers from 40–49 to linebackers. Formerly they were only allowed to wear numbers from 50–59 and from 90–99.

The owners also adopted a resolution would put in place, for one year, a policy that allows teams whose stadiums have retractable roofs to open those roofs for the second half of a game if the roofs were closed in the first half.

Follow Troy Vincent, executive vice president of football operations (@TroyVincent23), Dean Blandino, vice president of officiating (@DeanBlandino) and NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) on Twitter for updates.