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This particular clash focused NFL attention on personal fouls. Julie Jacobson/AP/Press Association Images
You're outta here

It's going to be a lot easier for players to be 'sent off' in NFL games next year

The Rules Committee is likely to bring in ejections for two personal fouls.

AFTER MAKING A dramatic change to the rules last season by encouraging teams to go for more two-point conversions, the NFL Rules Committee seem intent on creating less of a splash this year.

However, an automatic ejection rule is expected to pass at next week’s NFL Annual Meeting, a change which would see any player flagged for two personal fouls ejected from a game.

Essentially, it would see the league bring in a ‘two yellows equals a red’ rule, like soccer, for the first time.

NFL media insider Ian Rapoport said owners just have to decide which personal foul penalties would count towards an ejection with less than five on the shortlist.

The discussion around the personal fouls escalated this year when New York Giants star Odell Beckham Jr was suspended by the league after drawing three personal foul penalties in their loss to the Carolina Panthers earlier this year.

Speaking after that game, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said:

“I believe the league should pursue a policy where if there are two personal fouls in a game, there’s an automatic ejection of a player. I believe that that’s consistent with what we believe are the safety issues, but I also believe it’s consistent with what we believe are the standards of sportsmanship that we’ve emphasised.”

Elsewhere, for NFL fans frustrated by the current catch rule, there’s likely to be no change with the league instead focusing on “public education on the rule” and how it is officiated.

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