The NFL came out with some new rules changes for the upcoming 2021 season. The Arizona Cardinals, or at least some on the team, could benefit.
As a team, the Cardinals, as will all the other teams, benefit from replay officials now having more say when reviewing plays that are being challenged. While the replay officials will still acquiesce to the on-field officials to make the final call, they can now interject their advice as it pertains to possession, caught balls, line of scrimmage and down by contact calls.
This is a good thing. We’ve seen way too many calls over the last several years not go the Cardinals way when it seemed fairly clear what the correct call should have been.
Two passes behind the line of scrimmage will now result in loss of down. This should be of particular interest to Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
He’s been known to short some passes and honestly he has gotten away with some of it. Hopefully he takes this new rule to heart and remembers it during games.
The NFL is also going to place an emphasis on taunting this season. This will pertain to the taunting of other players, not celebrating scores.
Overtime in preseason games has been eliminated. This isn’t that big of a deal since it doesn’t come up often but it was a new rule passed nonetheless.
Maybe the biggest rule change of interest is the change in rule about uniform numbers. Here is a breakdown of what numbers each position may now wear in 2021:
QB: 1-19 WR: 1-49, 80-89 RB: 1-49, 80-89 TE: 1-49, 80-89 DB: 1-49 LB: 1-59, 90-99 OL: 50-79 DL: 50-79, 90-99
This means receivers, running backs, and tight ends have been given more options. If the player wants to now change though, as it has been in past, the player will need to buy out the remaining jerseys existing inventory of distributors.
It will be interesting to see if any Cardinals chose to make this change. Receivers with single-digit numbers? Eh, I miss the days of all receivers wearing numbers 80-89.