The National Football League (NFL) and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) announced on August 26 an updated on-field accountability system that will suspend players for one game if they commit three specified player-safety violations in a single season.
Under the new policy, violations in five categories—hip-drop tackles, horse-collar tackles, launching, hits on defenseless players, and blindside blocks—will carry over between seasons. Players who accumulate three offenses in any of these categories will face a one-game suspension. Those with a single violation in these categories will receive a 50% refund of their fine at the end of the season. Players will begin the 2026 season with a clean slate, regardless of prior violations.
The policy also introduces faster and more transparent processes for reducing the impact of prior offenses. Coaches whose players approach the suspension threshold will be required to attend league meetings, and clubs with excessive health-and-safety violations may face increased financial penalties. Former NFL coach and player Ron Rivera will join the pool of former players overseeing appeals hearings for on-field discipline.
The NFL and NFLPA stated in a joint announcement that the changes aim to reduce dangerous techniques while ensuring accountability for players, coaches, and clubs. The policy distinguishes between isolated mistakes and repeated conduct that jeopardizes player health and safety. Players fined once in any player-safety category will receive a full refund of their fine if they avoid a second violation in the same category during the season. A second violation in any category will result in no refund.
The league and union emphasized that player safety is a shared responsibility, with the new rules focusing on techniques that pose the greatest risk of injury. The policy will take effect ahead of the 2026 season, with all players starting with a clean record regardless of past violations.