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The newest reboot of the XFL is right around the corner as they debut shortly after the Super Bowl concludes giving football fans, even more, football to consume.

The question now is, how is the XFL going to set themselves apart from the NFL in order to drive viewers to their product?

The short answer is new and innovative rule changes to the game that everyone can't get enough of.

Here are the new twists on the NFL rules that the XFL is going to be playing by.

THE KICKOFF

  • The kicker will kick from the 25-yard line and must kick the ball in the air and in the field of play between an opponent’s 20-yard line and the goal-line of the end zone.
  • The coverage team will line up on the return side 35-yard line. As for the return team, they'll line up on the 30-yard line. In order for the kick-off to be legal, both teams must have exactly three players outside of the hash marks and neither team can make a move until the ball is caught by the returner.
  • Kicks that sail out of bounds or fall short of the 20-yard line will be deemed illegal and result in an illegal procedure penalty, that'll put the ball at the 45-yard line of the kicking team.
  • Once the returner has touched the football players are allowed to move or they must wait three seconds after the football touches the field of play.
  • If the ball is kicked off and travels into the end zone and downed by the returning team it's considered a “Major” touchback. With a major touchback, the ball is spotted at the return team's 35-yard line.
  • If the ball bounces in the field of play and then travels to the end zone or is downed by the returning team in the end zone, the ball will be placed at the return team's 15-yard line.
  • When a player of the return team touches the football and the ball travels out of bounds, the ball will be spotted where it went out of bounds.
  • On an onside kick, the team must indicate their decision to the official before the attempt and both teams will be instructed to line up using traditional NFL rules (i.e. 10 yards apart from the kicking team). This will eliminate surprise onside kicks.

POINT-AFTER TOUCHDOWN

  • There will be no option to kick a traditional extra-point.
  • After a touchdown, the scoring team will have the option of running a play from the 2, 5, or 10-yard line. Depending on where they choose to run the play from will determine the number of points the play will be worth 1, 2, or 3 points respectively.
  • If the defense causes a turnover and returns the ball for a score, the result of the play will count for as many points as the try was worth.

PUNT

  • The team who is punting is not permitted to release past the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted away.
  • Gunners on the play must line up at the line of scrimmage and will be allowed to move laterally once the ball is snapped until it's punted.
  • Defenders over the gunner aren't allowed to cross the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted.
  • If the football goes out of play inside the 35-yard line, it is a “Major” touchback and the return team will receive the football at the 35-yard line.
  • If a football sails into the opponent’s end zone or goes out of the end zone at any point the result is a “Major” touchback, and the football is placed at the 35-yard line.

DOUBLE-FORWARD PASS

  • The team on offense may complete a forward pass behind the line of scrimmage, that player now has the option to pass the ball forward once again as long as the football has never crossed the line of scrimmage.
  • However, once the football is passed the line of scrimmage, no additional forward passes are allowed.

OVERTIME

  • Overtime will consist of five “Rounds”, that are staged in alternating single-play possessions as you would see in an NHL shootout or MLS penalty kicks. A “Round” consists of one offensive play per team. Each possession will begin at the opponent’s five-yard line. The team with more points after 5 rounds is the winner.-
  • The game will end immediately if one of the teams has no mathematical shot at winning.
  • If both teams remained tied after five rounds, then the rounds will continue until one team is leading at the conclusion of a particular round.
  • Each successful try will be worth 2 points.
  • The defensive team cannot score via a turnover, the play will be ruled dead.
  • In the case of a defensive penalty, the offensive team will be awarded a retry from the one-yard line.
  • Any penalty committed by the defensive team after that first offense will result in a score for the offensive team.
  • If the offensive team were to commit a pre-snap penalty, the football will be placed back at the original spot and the attempt will be retried.
  • If the offensive team were to commit a penalty after the snap, the play will be ruled dead and no score will be awarded to the offensive team if they were to convert.
  • The minimum amount of time between plays will be 20 seconds. The official who spots the football will work in conjunction with TV and Official Review in order to signal when the next play will begin.

Check out the rest of the changes here.

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