The emergency quarterback rule has gotten a much-needed boost.
Last year, in the first year the rule returned, the emergency game-day quarterback had to be on the 53-man roster. This year, teams will be able to elevate the emergency quarterback from the practice squad.
The NFL’s owners passed the proposal from the Competition Committee Tuesday.
The Bills had a slightly different proposal, one that would have made the emergency quarterback a third practice-squad elevation. The Competition Committee’s version requires the emergency quarterback to be one of the two standard elevations.
That said, the emergency quarterback can be elevated the relegated on an unlimited basis. The only potential wrench would come from another team signing the practice-squad quarterback to its active roster.
The emergency quarterback rule allows the third quarterback to play only if the first two quarterbacks are unavailable, due to injury or ejection. Once an injured quarterback is cleared to return, the emergency quarterback must leave the game.
