CFL Board of Governors approve six rule adjustments for upcoming season

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO — The Canadian Football League (CFL) Board of Governors has approved six rules adjustments for the upcoming season. Three are meant to increase player safety, while serving as deterrents for potentially dangerous or reckless acts on the field.

Two modifications remove what can be punitive restrictions, allowing for a potentially spontaneous recovery play to be deemed legal. The final eliminates restrictions when applying the maximum distance of a penalty.

“These rule tweaks stay true to the spirit of Canadian football, while reinforcing a thrilling product on the field – one that gets fans to stand up and cheer; one that draws viewers in from across North America and around the world,” said CFL Commissioner Stewart Johnston. “As a league, our stance on rules remains focused on progress in terms of safety, entertainment, game-flow and innovation.”

The CFL preseason gets underway on May 19 before the regular season kicks off on June 5 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting the Ottawa REDBLACKS.

2025 RATIFIED RULES CHANGES

GRADE TWO ROUGHING THE PASSER PENALTY

The 25-yard Grade Two Roughing the Passer penalty has been modified to be called when:

A blow is delivered with the crown of the helmet to the head or neck of the passer, despite having a clear view to contact, and there are no mitigating circumstances, i.e. if the level of the quarterback’s helmet changes prior to contact.
A blow is delivered to the knee or below of the passer, despite having a clear view to contact, and there are no mitigating circumstances, i.e. if contact with another player(s) alters what would otherwise be legal contact.
A blow is egregiously late.

AUTOMATIC EJECTIONS

The list of actions that lead to automatic ejections has been expanded. The Rough Play rule will now include:

All low block penalties on kicking plays
Punching actions (open or closed hand) to the head area

LOW HITS ON VULNERABLE RECEIVERS

A penalty has been created to deter low hits on receivers who are not in a position to adequately protect themselves. A 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down will be called when a blow is delivered at or below the knees of a receiver who is in the act of catching a pass, while in a vulnerable position. Should the receiver jump, they will lose low hit protection.

INELIGIBLE RECEIVERS

Once an eligible receiver touches a pass, all players on both teams become eligible to catch the pass.

OFFSIDE PASS

An offside pass is defined as a ball being directed in any manner – other than being kicked – towards the opponent’s deadline. The team making the offside pass is not permitted to advance the ball or retain possession beyond the originating point of the pass.

The following plays will no longer be considered offside passes:

If a defending player prevents the ball from going out of bounds, knocks it down or bats it back into the playing area in an offside direction.
Batting a loose ball in any direction following a fumble, a blocked kick, a wild snap, a lateral pass or a kicked ball.

REMOVAL OF RESTRICTED MAJOR PENALTIES

The restriction when applying the maximum distance on all major penalties, misconducts and rough play disqualifications will be removed.
The total distance of the penalty yardage will be applied, to a maximum of the one-yard line.
i.e. Play commences at the 20-yard line and the defending team is assessed a 25-yard Grade Two Roughing the Passer penalty. Rather than being penalized half the distance to the goal, whereby the ensuing play will commence from the 10-yard line, the full distance will be applied to a maximum of the one-yard line, where in this instance, the following play will commence.

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