Mark Schlereth questions why the NFL would consider immediate ejections for dangerous hits when the impact on the game could be "gigantic." (1:50)

The NFL is prepared to eject and/or suspend players for certain types of illegal hits in 2017, but league officials said Thursday they expect it to happen rarely, if at all. No related rule changes are planned, easing fears that the league could move toward the NCAA's "targeting" rule.

Competition Committee Call Highlights • NFL to put players on notice that certain hits will result in immediate ejections and/or suspensions, but cautioned that such actions will be rare. No rule changes planned. • Owners next week will discuss Eagles proposal to reduce preseason and regular-season overtimes to 10 minutes. • Owners will discuss prohibiting leaping over the line of scrimmage to block an extra point or field goal. • Pace-of-play initiatives discussed, including 40-second clock after PATs or field goals that aren't followed by timeouts, and halftimes to be timed exactly at 13:30. • Committee recommends second season of rule change that moved touchbacks to 25-yard line. • Committee recommends permanent adoption of rule that players are ejected for committing two of a certain type of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. • Final authority for replay expected to be shift to league's centralized officiating center. • Owners to discuss rule proposed by Seahawks and Bills to make all officials' calls reviewable.

"This is not a widespread situation," said Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, chairman of the league's competition committee. "This is a situation where there are certain plays in our game that we want to get out of the game, and we just want to make sure the players are put on notice that if these type of actions [happen], then they could be subject to suspension."

NFL referees have long had the authority to eject players for what the rule book terms "flagrant" incidents of unnecessary roughness, but rarely have they used it. ("Flagrant" is defined in the NFL rule book as an action that is "extremely objectionable, conspicuous, unnecessary, avoidable or gratuitous.")

Flagrant hits more commonly have resulted in heavy fines.

NFL owners, general managers and coaches will gather next week in Phoenix for the annual league meetings. McKay said the committee will show a video containing "four or five" instances that could have resulted in ejections or suspensions last season. The committee's hope is to curb the hits through a renewed threat of stiffer discipline without having to actually implement it.

Executive vice president Troy Vincent said the plays on the video were "catastrophic" but numbered "very few" relative to the 40,000 or so plays that occur every season.

"They're high-impact plays," Vincent said, "and they belong out of the game. When we see them, we are going to have to enforce it and it's going to be a real point of emphasis forthcoming."

Owners will discuss prohibiting players leaping over the line of scrimmage on PAT and field-goal attempts, like this one by the Seahawks' Bobby Wagner last season. Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

Two other safety-related rule proposals will be discussed next week: a Philadelphia Eagles proposal to reduce preseason and regular-season overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, and a prohibition of leaping over the line of scrimmage to block an extra point or field goal.

McKay said the NFL wanted to limit the amount of overtime in order to minimize the exposure of players whose teams might have quick turnarounds for their next game. The leaping rule would prevent players from putting themselves in potentially dangerous or awkward positions as they jump over opponents who are reaching for them. The previous incarnation of the rule was difficult to officiate.

Other developments from a conference call with reporters to preview some of the rule changes: