NFL owners approved a proposal Monday to allow teams to designate one emergency third quarterback from its 53-man roster before kickoff on gamedays when inactive lists are announced.

The new bylaw will allow a quarterback to be activated during a game if the team's first two quarterbacks active for the game aren't able to continue playing because of injury or disqualification. The emergency third quarterback will not be permitted to be activated if a coach benches a quarterback for poor performance or conduct, however.

In addition, in the event that the first two quarterbacks are injured, and either are cleared to return, the third quarterback must be removed from the game. That quarterback would be allowed to return, however, if another injury occurs.

The need for an emergency third quarterback came to the forefront during last season's NFC Championship Game when the 49ers lost both Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson to injury and were forced to line up running back Christian McCaffrey at quarterback for snaps. Purdy later returned to the despite suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament earlier in the game.