A rule is a rule, but when was the last time that you saw this one enforced?
Try, like, never. Not saying that this was a conspiracy or anything, but this
type of stuff involving little obscure rules that are not consistently enforced,
is one way for the NFL to subtly influence the outcome of a particular game.
This typically gets lost on the average fan, who typically states things like,
how could they possibly get to everyone involved in a game, and make sure that
they do their part to have one particular outcome, they don't have to, with little
obscure rules like this, nobody but the official, and it could be just one, has to know.
And if you don't think that it is in the NFL's best interst to have a particular outcome
over another, wake up, THIS IS A BUSINESS.