One of the more underrated dates on the National Football League calendar each year is the three days where NFL owners (and coaches, and general managers) convene for the NLF Owners Meetings. This is where the latest offseason storylines move forward, where rule changes are solidified (or shot down), and where big announcements get made.
For the last few days, the NFL has descended upon Phoenix. This is where the meetings are happening in 2026. The following are the five most noteworthy happenings or announcements to come out of this week’s owners meetings:
The NFL is getting in the business of flag football
When the United States flag football team played a couple of teams comprised largely of current and former NFL players a couple weeks ago, people stayed up and took notice at the scoreboard. Team USA took the NFL players to the woodshed, hammering home the point that flag football and padded football are two very different sports. Flag football is growing by leaps and bounds, and the NFL is getting in on the action, partnering with a company called TMRW, along with several former players and institutional investors to start up a professional flag football league. More details to come, but the timeline appears to be in line with the 2028 Olympics, where flag football makes its Olympic debut.
The Super Bowl is coming to Vegas again!
Two years ago, the Super Bowl made its Las Vegas debut, and as someone who was in attendance for the entire week leading up to the big game, I can tell you firsthand that the city did an outstanding job hosting America’s premier sporting event. Vegas is built for events like the Super Bowl, which is why the NFL is returning there for the Super Bowl at the end of the 2028 season (so, February of 2029, on the calendar). Honestly, if the NFL just chose to go to Vegas on even numbered seasons and New Orleans on odd numbered seasons, just do that, and be done with it.
The Browns withdrew the request for the most ironic rule change ever
A couple weeks ago, as the various entities around the league were pondering rule change proposals, the Cleveland Browns proposed one of the strangest ones ever, given their history with trades. Currently, NFL teams cannot trade draft picks from more than three years into the future. The Browns know this because they traded three first round picks for Deshaun Watson. The Browns’ proposal was to expand that window to FIVE years out, which on the surface, is just hilarious, given how disastrous the Watson trade has turned out for them. The funny implication is that the Browns would like to do away with the guardrails that kept them from giving the Texans even MORE draft capital back in 2022. Anyway, the Browns came to their senses and withdrew their rule change request.
The Seahawks will be on Hard Knocks this summer
The NFL recently expanded its rules for teams that are eligible for Hard Knocks selection, with the big caveat change being teams who made the playoffs the previous season now being eligible for selection without the ability to say “No.” Well, the NFL went straight to the top of the pecking order of playoff teams, hand picking the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. So get ready for heaping helpings of Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and maniacal members of the 12th man. Also, the defending AFC champion New England Patriots have already been selected for Hard Knocks in 2027.
There is a real possibility of a work stoppage….for referees
I’m not sure how many fans are even aware of this, but the NFL is precariously close to having to use replacement referees to start the 2026 season. The collective bargain agreement between the league and their officials ends on May 31. The two sides broke off contract talks last week, and are reportedly very far apart on both compensation and the selection of playoff officials. The league would like a system that is much more performance based, including selection of playoff officials, which previously was far more tenure based than performance based. The last time there was a work stoppage for referees was in 2012, and the lockout lasted three weeks. It ended when the replacement refs conducted one of the all time officiating botches on a national televised game between Seattle and Green Bay, dubbed the “Fail Mary.”
