Steelers Approved To Make Major Change To The NFL Offseason

The Pittsburgh Steelers' key representatives are down in Florida attending the NFL's annual league meeting. This event is always interesting because it is not often that fans of the league get to see all 32 head coaches in the same place at the same time, while it is also fun to see how new coaches ingratiate themselves into the fold. Coaches and general managers meet with the media, and there is also important meetings that go on behind-the-scenes that decide on specific rules and proposals that govern the league.

The representatives in Florida for Pittsburgh were Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, and Mike Tomlin. Tomlin and Khan met with the local media, while Rooney meets with the other owners around the league to vote on proposals. The most talked about storyline from these meetings was the owners proposing to ban the "Tush Push" from the Philadelphia Eagles, however there were several other important rules being voted on as well. 

Pittsburgh made one proposal for the league meetings, and that was to change some things about the legal tampering period ahead of free agency. The proposal would allow teams to have a conversation via phone or video with unrestricted free agents during the legal tampering window.

Typically during the two-and-a-half day legal tampering window leading up free agency, teams are only allowed to speak with a player's agent to negotiate a deal. The deal then gets agreed to by both sides, but nothing is official until free agency opens up that Wednesday. With this rule change, Pittsburgh and every other team would get to chat with up to five free agents every offseason. 

It is hard to pinpoint whether or not there was a specific instance that led the Steelers to proposing this rule change, but it should help Pittsburgh in the long-run. Tomlin is one of the most beloved coaches throughout the entire league, and allowing him to speak with an unrestricted free agent before they sign could help close some deals. Before this rule was proposed, the thought of a representative from a team speaking to an unrestricted free agent directly during the legal tampering period would have been considered tampering. 

This rule is being brought into the fold under a one-year trial basis, meaning the league will see how it goes during the 2026 offseason and that will help decide whether or not it will be a permanent thing. 

Steelers Were One Part Of Many Changes At NFL's Owners Meetings

A ton of rules were voted on over the last few days. In addition to the rule proposed by Pittsburgh, a new rule has been approved that allows organizations to prepare balls for kicking on game day, which means breaking them in and making sure they are ready for use. Another rule that was approved was to allow playoff teams to secure scouting credentials in Weeks 17 and 18 for potential postseason opponents.

Other substantial changes that were voted on included aligning postseason and regular season overtime rules. Overtime in both instances would allow both teams to possess the football regardless of what happens on the first possession - obviously barring any points from the defense. 

In years past, if the team who got the ball first scored a touchdown, the game would be over. Now, both teams get a shot with the football. The NFL changed this rule in the postseason two years ago, and now the league has decided to do it with the regular season as well.

The league also permanently approved the dynamic kickoff. 

What do you think of the rule changes going into the 2025 season? Let us know in the comments below!

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