Imagine having Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and a new running back from free agency or the draft to replace Miles Sanders. You’d definitely want to maximize the chances of keeping that potent offense on the field even after scoring.
This is why the Eagles are advocating for a rule change that would offer them a better alternative to the traditional onside kick to maintain possession.
According to USA TODAY Sports:
The Eagles are proposing that teams be allowed to retain possession after a score by successfully completing a fourth-and-20 play from their 20-yard line. This would serve as a substitute for the current onside kick rule, which requires the scoring team to recover their own kickoff after it travels 10 yards.
The XFL employs a similar rule where a team that scores can retain possession by converting a fourth-and-15 play from its own 25-yard line in the fourth quarter. This rule was remarkably successful for the St. Louis BattleHawks in Week 1, aiding them in a comeback victory.
Previously, the Eagles suggested a similar rule in 2020, allowing teams to use this alternative to the onside kick twice per game. In the prior year, the Denver Broncos proposed their own variant, requiring a fourth-and-15 conversion from the 35-yard line. The NFL experimented with a fourth-and-15 rule during the 2020 Pro Bowl.
Additionally, the Eagles are pushing for the NFL to permit the use of the zero jersey number.
The NFL competition committee is set to review these proposals this week in Indianapolis, and the league is also assessing the Eagles’ strategic use of quarterback pushes on short-yardage situations.