NFL Owners Approve Kickoff, Replay Assist, OT Rule Changes

The NFL’s owners approved plans to expand replay assist and revisit overtime rules, while also opting to stick with the newly implemented kickoff rules, during the NFL League Meetings in Florida.

Regular-season overtime rules will now match the playoffs, allowing both teams the chance to get a possession even if a touchdown is scored on the opening drive. Additionally, overtime was amended to be 10 minutes instead of 15 minutes in play time.

The owners also approved a proposal to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule objective calls if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Additionally, the league will continue to utilize the dynamic kickoff rule, which was implemented last season, while moving the ball on spot on touchbacks from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line.

Knicks Advance to First Conference Finals Since 2000

For the first time in 25 years, the New York Knicks are heading back to the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks destroyed the Boston Celtics on Friday with a 38-point win in Game 6 of the conference semifinals, to advance to their first conference finals since 2000.

With the Knicks leading the series 3-2, expectations were high for the matchup in Madison Square Garden, with some of the most expensive tickets on record. But New York exceeded expectations, destroying Boston 119-81 to advance to the conference finals.

The Celtics were already at a major disadvantage, with leading scorer Jayson Tatum out with a torn Achilles. But Friday’s game was an absolute smackdown, with New York completely dominating from start to finish.

It was a true team effort for New York: Six Knicks ended with double-digit points, with four of those players putting up 20-point performances. OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson lead the team with 23 points, while Mikal Bridges put up 22 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 12 rebounds.

New York outplayed Boston on every stat, but rebounding was particularly lethal: The Knicks out-rebounded the Celtics 55-36.

2025 NFL Kickoff Game Matchup Revealed

The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the NFC East Division rival Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Kickoff Game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 4, the NFL announced.

The Eagles defeated the Cowboys in both of their two annual division matchups during the 2024 NFL regular season by a combined 75-13 margin. The NFL is scheduled to reveal its full 2025 regular season schedule on Wednesday (May 14) on NFL NetworkNFL.com, the NFL app and NFL+.

The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 17 of 22 passing, while also recording 72 yards and one touchdown on 11 rushing attempts to be named Super Bowl MVP.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 2,005 rushing yards and became the ninth player in NFL history to record more than 2,000 yards in a single season. The Cowboys finished the 2024 season at 7-10, having lost quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 9 to a season-ending hamstring injury following a 3-4 start.