NFL player disciplinary and safety rule updates

The NFL is implementing various disciplinary measures for the 2026 season involving both personal conduct and player safety.

Individual players face potential suspensions for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy. This includes Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr., who received an eight-game suspension following a February arrest involving a domestic dispute, and Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson, who faces discipline following a domestic violence incident. Wide receiver Puka Nacua has also faced legal scrutiny and prior fines.

Separately, the NFL and the NFLPA have introduced a joint overhaul of the disciplinary system regarding player health and safety. Under this new “three-strike” policy, players who accumulate three violations within a season across five designated categories—hip-drop tackles, horse-collar tackles, launching, hits on defenseless players, and blindside blocks—will face an automatic one-game suspension. While violations may carry over into subsequent seasons, all players begin the 2026 regular season with a clean slate; specifically, fines incurred during the 2026 preseason do not count toward a player’s regular-season strike total.

The system includes financial incentives for compliance: players who commit only one of the five designated violations in a season can have 50% of their fine returned, while 100% may be returned for violations outside those specific categories. To ensure accountability, coaches must attend league meetings if a player approaches the suspension threshold, and teams with excessive violations face increased financial penalties. Former coach Ron Rivera is part of the group responsible for hearing appeals regarding these safety disciplines.

Additionally, the NFL has approved rule changes regarding kickoffs. Teams are no longer required to be trailing to attempt an onside kick if they declare their intention, and new regulations aim to eliminate incentives for kicking the ball out of bounds when kicking off from the 50-yard line.