New NFL Kickoff rule
At first glance I don't like it, but I'm willing to keep an open mind. But I imagine it won't be long before this rule makes its way to the college game. Rich Eisen is apparently a fan, so I'll give it a fair shot. I'm a traditionalist and prefer the old ways...I'm old.
"During the 2024 season, kickers will continue to kick from the 35-yard line, but the other 10 players on the kickoff team will line up at the receiving team's 40-yard line. At least nine members of the return team will line up in a "setup zone" between the 35- and 30-yard lines. Up to two returners can line up in a "landing zone" between the goal line and the 20-yard line."
Linking the NBC story because I refuse to give the clicks to the worldwide leader:
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/nfl-approves-new-kickoff-rule
How do onside kicks work?
Essentially, no surprise onside kicks allowed and you can only do one in the fourth quarter if you're trailing. Edit: and the onside kick would stay in its current format.
If that's the onside kick rule, count me as someone who hopes it doesn't make its way to the college game...I like the strategy of being able to do it any time during the game, and potentially even fake it, or fake a long kick before doing the onside kick.
I don't get why they are averse to 4th and very long - punts are safer, you can go for it, you can fake it, send like a solid way to make the play after a PA relevant and safe
I heard you're allowed two max.
Ok, but could you do a surprise regular kickoff from an onside kick formation? In addition to the surprise element in defending against an onside kick, currently the return team still has to guard against every other manner of kick-offs -- traditional, squib, midrange/pop-ups.
It'll be interesting to see game theory evolve in how kickoffs get played in the new format.
But, most importantly -- what does this mean for the movement to award points for kickoffs put through the opposing goalposts?
Probably not as it then defeats the purpose of the "no move until the ball hits the ground or receiving player" rule. Unless, I suppose, you take the risk of "no move" from the onside kick formation which would put the kicking team at a severe disadvantage.
Asinine rule changes ruining actual strategy and skill within the game.
March 27th, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
I've seen enough touchbacks. If this brings back the return game, I'm all for it.
Yep, that's what I wondered too...?
you have to communicate intent prior to lining up. No more sneak onside kicks.
Wow, that really changes things. No more plays like in Super Bowl XXX when the Steelers did an onside kick early in the 4th quarter or the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV at the 2nd half kickoff. Not a fan of this at all.
I haven't watch XFL since 2020 when the pandemic was first hitting, but I remember liking the way they did kickoffs. A welcome change in my mind at this point.
I'll take anything over 99% of kickoffs going out the back of the end zone for a touch back.
Maybe they can make it so that if the receiving team calls a fair catch on an onside kick that it can result in a touchback, even if they don't recover it lol.
March 27th, 2024 at 12:09 AM ^
78%, actually, per Sam on the radio today.
Another detail here...a little more incentive to avoid touchbacks. Seems like a pretty good rule change to me. Kickoffs have devolved into pointless exercises to enable an extra set of commercials. At least now, there may be a little action between ads.
The kicker will kick the ball from his own 35-yard line. Ten of his teammates will line up on the other team’s 40-yard line. The receiving team’s nine or 10 blockers will line up on their own 35-yard line. The kick must land between the 20-yard line and the goal line. A kick that either goes out of bounds or lands short of the 20 will be awarded to the receiving team at the 40-yard line. A kick that goes into the end zone for a touchback will go out to the receiving team’s 30-yard line.
And soon enough they'll be nerfing the returns on punts as well.
It's not really about "player safety" (if it were, these rules would have been implemented at high school and college levels long ago)... this is all about protecting money.
The biggest change IMO is the elimination of the hip drop tackle, not the change in kickoff rule. And mostly because officials will have absolutely no clue how, when or why to call it which will lead to a massive clusterfuck in officiating.
How exactly is a CB or safety supposed to tackle Derick Henry or Nick Chubb if they're having to chase them down from behind? I'm guessing they're expected to run alongside them and gently convince them to sit down right where they are through logic and reasoning?
I was just talking about this with others. I "get" the rule, but I thought the exact same thing for players chasing from behind. It seems the only thing they can do from behind is dive at their legs and hope to trip them up. What else could a 190lb corner do when chasing Travis Kelce or Derrick Henry?
I think they have to quickly negotiate terms of the tackle as they chase the man downfield. Once the terms are finalized they then communicate the terms to the official. After the negotiated tackle, the official will probably throw a flag because they are NFL officials and aren't supposed to get things right in the first place.
This guy was before my time (Lem Barney was the Lions CB I grew up idolizing) but if you watch some of the highlights of Dick "Night train" Lane from back in the day you realize what a different game they play now versus back then. Today he'd not only be thrown out of the league, he'd probably be looking at some time in jailtime to boot.
It’s gonna be like little giants, if you’ve seen the movie, where the big kid just drags the little ones.
We won the last real football championship.
Add the rouge to American football. It would be awesome and make kickoffs way more interesting. You could still allow fair catches, but if the kick isn't returnable, it's a point.
We want to eliminate the kickoff, but not the thirty eight commercials that bookend a kickoff, so this sort of works.
Both the hip drop and kickoff rule changes are attempts to improve player safety. In that context, it's easy for me to accept the need for change. I am very interested to see what creative special teams minds like Jay Harbaugh come up with under the new kickoff rule.
Yes, and to further improve player safety, we're going to play Wednesday night football on Christmas Day!
The IRONY is... the NFL is taking the XFL kickoff... but the UFL, upon merging the XFL with the USFL, is not and is using the standard kickoff rule.
I did like it in the XFL last year. It doesn't seem to produce long returns very often--there were maybe two KO TDs the entire season?--but it at least produces the hope and excitement for one, whereas, right now that doesn't really exist. The XFL variation, which had the blockers/tacklers closer to the returners, tended to produce tackles around the 20 to 25 anyway. Maybe with this format the tacklers get out to the 30 to 35 more often.
But as other commentators noted, they really need to fix the onside issue. It needs to be something that can be done by surprise. Maybe allow the kicker to kick the ball anywhere inside the 35--but no one can move until it hits the ground, so, it's just a mad dash for it. That would be fun! Maybe an injury or two involved. Hip tackle too. Oh wait....
No more surprise onside kicks or squibs (the ball has to land in the red zone). I predict a lot more of the high hang time kickoffs to try to nerf the return.
Just cut to the chase and make it flag football already.
Stupid rule, changes a component of the game that can influence an outcome. Think about the players that are limited to special teams only, how are they going to make a play with this new rule ?
If the NFL cared about safety, they should eliminate Thursday night games and provide insurance for all players for life regardless of tenure.
Your last paragraph ..... the NFL announced today they're planning on playing 2 games this year on Christmas.
Christmas is on a Wednesday this year.
Which means those 4 teams will be having to play the Saturday before to get 3 days rest in between games.
What else is going on that Sturday? Oh, the 1st round of the CFP. The NFL is going to schedule right over the top of it.
The NFL is getting obnoxious, yes.
March 27th, 2024 at 10:24 AM ^
If the NFL cared about safety, they should eliminate Thursday night games and provide insurance for all players for life regardless of tenure
Or, just have the team that elected to receive start automatically at their own 25 yard line
March 26th, 2024 at 10:51 PM ^
Upvoted for snubbing espn 👍🏽
This sounds like they are trying to solve very specific problems and they have not thought of all the stupidity that this will result in outside of those specific solutions.
Thanks, I hate it. Will another kickoff ever be returned for a touchdown?
I watched a fair bit of the new XFL since I really liked their TV presentation, and the kickoff is fantastic. Far more returns, far fewer touchbacks, less penalties, and it doesn’t feel like a gimmicked version. It’s going to really improve the watchability of games I think - even if we get the commercial/kickoff/commercial sequence, at least there will be a little action in the middle.
March 27th, 2024 at 11:22 PM ^
My Chiefs just signed a rugby star, most likely to use him for returns with this new rule. Would be amazed if the guy sees the field, will wait & see.