The NFL owners on Tuesday approved the proposal to allow a defensive player to wear a speaker in the helmet to communicate with the sidelines.
Like on offense with the quarterback, one defensive player, who is identified by a visual indicator on the helmet, can wear the speaker in the helmet. A second defensive player can have a speaker, but he has to be a sub for the first player. You can't have two players on a defense on the field at the same time who both have a transmitter in their helmet.
This rule was shot down a year ago, but passed this year. The feeling is the move was made in part to counter the chances of having another Spygate.The New England Patritos were caught videotaping the signals of the New York Jets and that led to a big fine for Bill Belichick, the team and they forgeited a first-round draft pick.
This would make it so teams wouldn't have to signal in the defenses. Thus, it's the Bill Belichick rule. Interestingly, the Patriots voted yes on the proposal.