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NFL rule change allows officiating department to have players ejected

Kelley L Cox / USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday's changes in the NFL rulebook weren't limited to the catch rule.

NFL owners have approved a rule allowing a member of the officiating department to instruct on-field officials to eject players guilty of a "flagrant non-football act" as long as a foul has been called for that act.

Officials will be able to determine which players deserve an ejection for their misconduct with the help of instant replay. The newly implemented rule comes after last season yielded several non-football incidents, including Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans' out-of-play blindside hit on Saints corner Marshon Lattimore in Week 9. Evans was only hit with a 15-yard penalty during the game, but was later handed a one-game suspension.

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