EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The NFL is expected to look at expanding the ban on launching and helmet hits.

Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay, the co-chairman of the league’s competition committee, believes it will be a topic for his group during the offseason, and changes could be presented to the owners next spring.

“I think the launch will be discussed more and more and eventually we will see helmet hits modified in the open field,” McKay said.

The competition committee recommends rules changes to the owners, who then vote on them at the annual March meetings. McKay’s committee was influential in getting outlawed the technique of launching — when a player leaves his feet and leads with his head — against defenseless players.

McKay says the idea of potentially banning launching altogether was discussed last year.

“Coaches felt there were too many circumstances where players could be perceived as doing it and were not really,” he said. “It is a big step, not something I expect membership gets comfortable with over a year’s time.”

Flagrant helmet hits have been a high-profile topic all season since the league banned launching in March. A 15-yard penalty is enforced for anyone who leaves both feet before contact to spring forward and upward into an opponent and delivers a blow to the helmet with any part of his helmet.

Such tackles also are subject to fines, ejections and suspensions.

McKay emphasized that Steelers linebacker James Harrison’s hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy on Dec. 8 is not the catalyst for further discussions.