As teams navigated the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the NFL and the players’ association negotiated one of the most notable, sweeping rule changes in the modern era. The two sides came together and agreed on expanding the practice squad from 10 to 16 players, granted the ability to promote two players from the practice squad to the play in games, and most notably, allowed up to six of the 16 players to have unlimited NFL experience as opposed to no more than two accrued NFL seasons for eligibility.
The changes benefitted teams enduring the pandemic. It created 192 more jobs across the NFL.