The National Football League (NFL) is changing some of its rules heading into the 2025 season.

Each year, the NFL’s competition committee receives and considers suggestions from figures across the game before deciding if any rule changes are needed.

If they are deemed to be for the good of the game, they are approved before the start of a new season.

BBC Sport explains the rule changes coming to the NFL for the forthcoming season.

In 2024, the NFL introduced dynamic kick-offs – bringing players from both teams closer at such restarts to resemble normal scrimmages.

Initially introduced as a test, the rule has been made permanent for the 2025 season, but with a couple of tweaks.

If a receiver opts to touch back – bending a knee to the floor when receiving a kick-off – the play is over and the first down is taken from their 35-yard line. Last season, this was at the 30-yard line.

The receiving team can now also have up to three players in the set-up zone, but not on the restraining line. No more than one player can be in each of the three set-up zone areas.

There are also changes to onside kick-offs, where teams opt to take a shorter kick-off in the hope of keeping the ball instead of giving it back to the opposition.

Previously, teams could only declare they were going to make an onside kick in the fourth quarter. Now, any team can do this as long as they are trailing at the time.

When a team is taking an onside kick, all players apart from the kicker must have one foot on the 35-yard line. Their other foot must be grounded until the ball has been kicked.

Both teams will get the chance to start a possession in overtime in regular and post-season matches.

Should a game go into overtime and the team taking the first possession score, the opposition will also be given the chance to have possession and score.

In regular-season matches, overtime will be limited to 10 minutes.

NFL clubs have voted to allow the use of instant replays to help with on-field decisions.

They will be used for specific objective incidents and to address game-administration issues where clear and obvious video evidence is present.

When a flag is thrown for face mask, horse collar, tripping or hits to the head, those penalty flags can be picked up if the video official has clear and obvious video evidence to rule whether or not those offences took place.

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