Owners rejected an alternative to the onside kick, voting down the Broncos’ fourth-and-15 proposal that was endorsed by the Competition Committee, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports.
Denver’s playing proposal would have allowed a team trailing in the fourth quarter an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball after scoring. The trailing team could have opted for one chance per game to convert a fourth-and-15 play from its own 35-yard line.
It would have given teams a better chance at keeping the ball than with an onside kick.
Owners, though, said no despite the Competition Committee voting 7-1 in favor of the rule change.
The Alliance of American Football has a version of the rule that allows a team trailing by 17 or more points at any point in the game or a team trailing by any amount with fewer than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter the option to try to convert a fourth-and-12 play from its own 28. If the team gains 12 or more yards on that one play, it keeps possession. If it doesn’t, the other team takes possession.