NFL shuts down rulebook loophole that Dolphins, 49ers and Rams were exploiting during 2023 season
The
Miami Dolphins' offense took the
NFLby storm last year and a big reason that happened is because coach Mike McDaniel implemented a new pre-snap motion that allowed his speedy players, like
Tyreek Hill, to thrive.
At one point last season,
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan referred to the movement as a "cheat" motion and it seems the
NFLagrees with that assessment. For the 2024 season, the Dolphins could be penalized if they continue to use the motion due to a new rule that's being added this year.
The 2024 version of the
NFL rulebook contains an item that wasn't there in 2023. Here's what the new rule says, "If an eligible receiver who is on the line of scrimmage moves backward
or changes his stance (two point to three point or conversely) and does not come to a complete stop before the snap, it is a false start.
Any eligible backfield player who changes his stance does not have to come to a complete stop prior to the snap, as long as his actions are not abrupt (false start) or forward (illegal motion)."
The words in bold were added for the 2024 season. According
to Pro Football Talk, the NFL explicitly added the new rule to cut down on what the Dolphins were doing.
Miami's pre-snap motion would feature a receiver starting to angle toward the line of scrimmage just before the snap, as you can see in the video below with Hill.
The league is trying to slow down the speedsters
www.cbssports.com