XFL Has Unusual Rules For Football Purists, Including Two Forward Passes and 9-Point Touchdowns

The NFL's annual Super Bowl not only punctuates the end of a football season, but it marks the beginning of a long drought for football-thirsty fans. Sure, there's the scouting combine and eventual draft day, but September—when the first meaningful games are played—are way on the other side of the calendar.

This year will be different, though, with a relaunch of the XFL, which kicks off this weekend with two games on Saturday and two more on Sunday.

With the new league comes different rules than what fans are used to. First of all, the eight-team XFL will still have many similarities to the NFL. The field is still 100 yards long, teams get four tries to make a first down, there are kickoffs and punts, and linemen still won't be eligible to catch passes downfield unless they are deemed an eligible receiver.

The league has implemented some rules that may seem unusual to the regular football fan. Most of the rules are designed to speed up the game and create high-scoring games. Here are some of the rules, and why XFL has them:

Extra official

An eighth official will be on the field, with the sole purpose of just spotting the ball after each play.

Shortened play clock

The play clock will be 25 seconds, instead 40 seconds like the NFL. This speeds up the tempo of the game, and it's a particular reason the ball-spotting ref is needed.

Multiple players with speakers in their helmets

Not only will the quarterback have speakers in his helmet to hear the play(s) coming in from the coaches, the other skill players will have them. This is also in part to the shortened play clock, and it allows the players to hear instructions as they approach the line of scrimmage rather than a huddle.

Fewer timeouts, shortened halftime

College football coaches and their NFL peers get three timeouts per half. The XFL coaches will get only two. Also, the XFL halftime will be just 10 minutes instead of 15, which is what the NFL has.

No coin toss

The home team will get to decide whether to kick, receive or defer their decision. Should the teams go to overtime, the visiting team will get to choose.

No extra-point kicks

Though there won't be any extra-point kicks, the team that scores a touchdown will get three options on their extra point on a play from the 2-, 5- or 10-yard lines, with 1, 2 and 3 points given, respectively, for successful plays. This would allow a team to potentially score six points on a touchdown and then three points on the extra try, which could swing the game nine points. It also may lead to fewer overtimes.

"Having a nine-point touchdown option in the fourth quarter can be significant," XFL president Oliver Luck said in this ESPN story.

Overtime

Should the teams go into overtime, it will sort of resemble overtime penalty kicks in soccer. Each team would get five, one-play possessions from the 5-yard line for a chance to score. If somehow the teams are still tied, the teams would go play-for-play until there is a winner.

Better kick returns

The XFL will move the kickoffs back to the 30-yard line, in which the NFL kicks from the 35. The players can't move until the kick returner catches the ball. As for punts, the kicking team can't cross the line of scrimmage until the punter boots the ball away. And to prevent pinning a team deep inside its own territory, any ball that goes out of bounds or through the end zone will be brought back to the 35-yard line instead of the 20.

Double forward pass

Maybe the most visible difference will be the double forward pass, which is not allowed in pro, college or, heck, even pee wee football. Teams are allowed to make two forward passes on the same play, but the first pass must be completed behind the line of scrimmage, and the second pass must be thrown behind that same line of scrimmage. This also creates the possibility for more fumbles.

Replays and challenges

The replay system in the XFL will mirror the college method, as every play is reviewable. However, there will be no coaches challenges as all replays are initiated from the booth.

Sideline catches

Players who catch a pass near the sideline are only required to get one foot in bounds, as opposed to two feet required in the NFL. College and high school ball only require one foot to be in bounds.

Upcoming schedule (all times ET) (Season schedule)

Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020

2 p.m. — Seattle Dragons at D.C. Defenders (ABC)

5 p.m. — Los Angeles Wildcats at Houston Roughnecks (Fox)

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020

2 p.m. — Tampa Bay Vipers at New York Guardians (Fox)

5 p.m. — St. Louis BattleHawks at Dallas Renegades (ESPN)