Bears Propose Point-After Try Rule Change for 2021 NFL Season

Bears propose rule change inspired by crazy game in Denver originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

NFL owners have already voted to add an extra regular season game for 2021 and beyond, but the Bears are proposing another rule change. They want to make sure all penalties remain enforced, if penalties are called on successive snaps, on point-after tries.

Here’s how the rule reads now, with the proposed added language italicized.

ARTICLE 3. FOULS COMMITTED DURING TRY.

If a foul results in a retry, Team A will have the option to enforce the penalty from the spot where it attempted the try (previous spot) or from the yard line for the other try option, the location of which is determined by any previously enforced penalty, if applicable.

The proposition stems from a confusing series of events from the Bears’ Week 2 win over the Broncos in 2019. With 31 seconds left in the game, the Broncos scored a touchdown to pull them within one point of the Bears. But instead of kicking to tie the game, Vic Fangio opted to go for two, and the win. However, a delay of game on Denver pushed the ball back, so Fangio trotted out the kicking team instead. But because the penalty was committed on a two-point try, they were able to kick from the 20, instead of the 25.

Things got even more interesting when the Bears committed a penalty of their own on the kick, so Denver got the opportunity to move up to the 1-yard line for another two-point try. This time they converted, and took a 14-13 lead.

In the end, Mitchell Trubisky connected with Allen Robinson on a 25-yard play to set up a 53-yard Eddie Piñeiro field goal attempt. Piñeiro made the kick as time expired, so the Bears won regardless of all point-after hoopla.

But the Bears don’t want to find themselves in that situation again, hence the proposed rule change.

Owners will vote on the rule changes at their upcoming spring meeting in May. They’ll need 24 out of 32 votes for any propositions to be adopted.

Click here to subscribe to the Under Center Podcast for free.