Social Media Freaking Out Over Wild NFL Rule That Determines What Happens If Several Players On A Team Die

Wow, interesting rule! 😳

— Chris Campasano (@chriscampasano) July 25, 2024

How does one start its day and think “if 15 more/less people die, what should happen? Let me decide that one vs the owners of the team. Brilliant!” pic.twitter.com/h5Q2V8SlBE

— Julez (@JulezzzSantana) July 25, 2024

Wtf

— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) July 25, 2024

why even tweet this

— 💫 Quinton 🚀🎢 (@waterpik57) July 25, 2024

Wtf???

— pat (@JHurtsFan) July 25, 2024

This NFL Rule Is Not Specific To Football

As it happens, there is something called a “Disaster Draft” for all of the major American sports leagues. In the NFL’s case, the contingency plan differentiates between a “near-disaster” and a “disaster.”

The former would be the case if fewer than 15 players on a team are disabled or worse, while the latter would mean 15 or more.

There wouldn’t be a draft for a “near-disaster” but the affected team would get preferential rights on all waivers until the end of that season. If the quarterback is one of the players lost, the team would be able to draft up to two QBs from any NFL team with three available. Each team could protect two of their QBs, and the drafted signal-callers would return to their teams at the end of the term.

In the case of a “disaster,” the commissioner would decide whether to cancel the team’s schedule. The team would have the first pick in the next NFL Draft if its season is foregone. There would also be a special draft where each team would be allowed to protect 32 players.

The “near-disaster” protocol would come into play if the schedule continues.