Cesar Tordesillas

NFL owners have voted to change the tuck rule and penalize crown of the helmet hits by rushers and other ball carriers outside of the tackle box or at least three yards downfield before concluding their winter meeting Wednesday.

The owners also changed the replay challenge rule so that a bad coaches' challenge doesn't prevent officials from reviewing the play.

Only one owner voted against eliminating the tuck rule while the New England Patriots and Washington Redskins abstained.

The remaining 29 teams, including Oakland, voted to end the rule, a call that cost the Raiders a chance to go to the Super Bowl in 2001.

Tom Brady was the famous beneficiary of the rule in that 2001 playoff game between the Patriots and the Raiders.

A ball that appeared to be a Brady fumble was ruled an incomplete pass, and the Patriots went on to win the game.

The new rule states that if a quarterback starts to bring the football back toward his body while trying to throw, it will be ruled a fumble instead of an incomplete pass.

"We didn't think it was necessary to make that change," Steelers president Art Rooney said. "We were happy with the way it's been called."

Team owners voted 31-1 to implement the crown of the helmet hits rule, which will affect running backs the most.

It will now be a 15-yard penalty if a player who is more than three yards downfield or outside of the tackle box delivers a blow with the crown of his helmet.

If the offensive and defensive player each lowers his head and uses the crown of the helmet to make contact, each will be penalized.

"It'll certainly make our runners aware of what we expect relative to use of the helmet," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "The main thing is it's pro-health and safety, and that's the big thing."

Owners also approved a change in the replay challenge rule that fixes a problem when coaches challenge a play that would be automatically reviewed in the replay booth.

Under the new rule, a coach who challenges such a play is charged a timeout when he throws a challenge flag. If the play is overturned, the coach gets back the challenge. It remains a 15-yard penalty if a coach challenges a booth reviewable play.

NFL Rule Changes: Owners Change Tuck Rule, Penalize Helmet Hits by Rushers