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The NFL is considering adopting a rule change from the Alliance of American Football by offering an option of a 4th-and 15 conversion instead of an onside kick. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

NFL may replace onside kicks with 4th down plays

By Zac Wassink | Last updated May 21, 2020 2:14 PM ET

The Alliance of American Football flew too close to the sun and perished before the completion of its debut season, but it may have given a lasting gift to the NFL.

One AAF rule popular among viewers replaced traditional onside kicks with 4th-and-12 onside conversion attempts that allowed a club to retain possession by picking up a first down on a one-and-done attempt starting from its 25-yard line.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero‏, the NFL could soon adopt a similar rule:

NFL clubs today received updated playing rules change proposals.

Most interesting: an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team a chance to maintain possession by going for it on 4th-and-15 from their 25-yard line. Sounds like support for the idea is growing.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 21, 2020

Along with reducing risks that come with any football kickoff, these plays would add excitement to games and also ensure that a team's best offensive playmakers would decide if it kept possession of the football late in a close contest.

Pelissero‏ added a team could only use this twice per game, and that onside kicks may not be completely abolished:

Note: a team could do this no more than two times a game.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 21, 2020

Worth noting: A team would still be permitted to attempt a traditional onside kick. But with other rules changes making those harder than ever to recover, the NFL has been looking at alternatives, including experimenting with this rule the Pro Bowl. The AAF did similar. https://t.co/AAJvBoxB5F
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 21, 2020

The rule proposal about the onside kick alternative was made by the #Eagles, who withdrew two other proposals: one to modify the blindside block rule to prevent unnecessary fouls, the other to restore overtime to 15 minutes and minimize impact of the OT coin toss. https://t.co/AAJvBoxB5F
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 21, 2020

The two proposals involving a "sky judge" concept also remain on the docket for discussion at next Thursday's virtual meeting. Regardless of whether either passes, some version likely will be tested in the preseason.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 21, 2020

In last month's Competition Committee report, the committee said it supports further analysis of on-field officials being assisted by officiating personnel who have access to a video feed. That is significant; where that personnel's power would begin and end is a big question. https://t.co/l0kTC2CYfE
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 21, 2020

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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