NFL Owners Wrap Up Meetings With Two Rule Changes

NFL owners wrapped up their annual meetings Wednesday morning by approving two rule changes that had drawn heavy protests from coaches.

For the 2016 season only, players will be subject to automatic ejection if they commit two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the same game. The league has also moved the touchback after kickoffs to the 25-yard line, a change designed to limit the number of returns after injuries rose on the play in 2015.

Both changes were adopted as one-year experiments, to be re-evaluated after the 2016 season. The league followed a similar approach last season when changing the line of scrimmage for extra points to the 15-yard line. The rule was made permanent this week.

In addition, the league tabled a proposal from the Baltimore Ravens to expand instant replay to review all but eight specified penalties in the rulebook. Competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay said there was enough support for the idea to merit further study and a likely vote at the league's spring meetings in May.

The eight penalties that would not be reviewable in the Ravens' proposal are:

* Offensive or defensive holding

* Offensive or defensive pass interference

* Illegal contact

* Illegal use of hands

* Whether a forward passer has been forcibly contacted

* Whether a defenseless receiver has been forcibly contacted

* Whether a kicker has been forcibly contacted

* Unsportsmanlike conduct

While unsportsmanlike conduct wouldn't be reviewable if the Ravens' proposal ultimately is adopted, it will still come under heavy scrutiny by the league after Wednesday's approval of the automatic ejection rule. The measure is aimed at curbing penalties outside the perimeter of the game such as taunting, punching and kicking.