India, Aug. 11 -- The NFL is making a notable adjustment to its rulebook ahead of the 2026 season, with a change designed to give teams more flexibility when initiating replay challenges.

Unlike most rule changes, the modification was not announced during the league's annual meeting, where such decisions are typically discussed and approved. ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported that the league is instead changing who can physically initiate a replay challenge from the sideline.

Under the new process, head coaches will no longer be required to personally throw the red flag. Each of the NFL's 32 teams can now designate a member of its coaching staff to handle that responsibility. However, the team must notify game officials of its chosen designe...