Potential NFL Kickoff/Onside Kick Rule Changes

[BilldGopher]

Came across an article with a tutorial on rule changes being considered by the NFL owners going into next season.

This may be old news for the diehard Xs & Os GHers but found these changes interesting for kickoffs and onside kicks.

Not quite like innovating the forward pass but certainly see some safety benefits as well as increasing suspense around these two parts of the game.

Here's the link from Athlon

MSN

 

[DinkytownDelight]

This also likely increases a guy like Carter Coughlin's value as a player since kickoff/kick return will become a more active part of the game moving forward!

 

[1983]

Link? I like the XFL rules.....

 

[fmlizard]

This also likely increases a guy like Carter Coughlin's value as a player since kickoff/kick return will become a more active part of the game moving forward!

Decreases the NFL prospects of Dragan Kesich, though I think he's got the raw power to get his chance on field goals.

In the XFL, did teams try absurd pop-fly kickoffs? Since kicking touchbacks is less advantageous now, and fair catches are not allowed, the high and not-too-deep strategy from short range punting would make sense?

 

[1983]

XFL guys figured it out pretty quick and there will be actual blocking strategies. I think it will make it very interesting.

 

[fmlizard]

2 hours after the new rule is announced, the Pittsburgh Steelers sign Cordarrelle Patterson to a 2 year contract.

 

[DrunkDons]

If you are going to penalize and fine hip-drop tackles and change the kickoff all in the name of player safety, then this should be the philosophy across the board. Don't extend the season to 18 games and mandate natural grass playing surfaces on all fields.

Also, for the kickoff changes, kinda sad there will no longer be the possibility of a surprise onside kick. I do agree however that the kickoff change promotes some new special teams strategies that could lead to some exciting football. I guess we won't really know until we see it in action at the highest level.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

If you are going to penalize and fine hip-drop tackles and change the kickoff all in the name of player safety, then this should be the philosophy across the board. Don't extend the season to 18 games and mandate natural grass playing surfaces on all fields.

You misunderstand the NFL. The goal isn't to maximize player safety, it's to maximize player safety in ways that don't impact the league's bottomline.

 

[DrunkDons]

You misunderstand the NFL. The goal isn't to maximize player safety, it's to maximize player safety in ways that don't impact the league's bottom line.

We kinda made the same point. I agree with you. I think it's stupid that team execs always default to "player safety" as the reason for these changes. When in actuality, they aren't addressing issues that players have talked about for years, because, like you said, it would impact their bottom line. Even though the NFL is the richest sports league in the world by a long shot. Every NFL team is in the top 50 with 7 in the top 10 and 12 in the top 20.

Here's a cool video about why the NFL is so $uccessful and why their formula is being copied around the world:




I'm very curious to see how these recent NFL rule changes affect college ball. But first, can we start by giving every team/coaching staff headsets? So we don't have Michigan pt. 2

 

[Taji34]

Here's a good video I came across on TikTok explaining the new rules:



Overall, I like the change. I think it increases the safety of kickoffs, while also incentivizing actually returning the kick:

• Kicking team is incentivized to try to land the ball in the "return zone" and have it roll into the endzone and be downed because that brings it in at the 20, rather than the 35. There's also incentive to land it in the return zone (20yard line to endzone) rather than try to land it at the 25 and have it roll backwards because if the ball lands before the return zone it comes in at the 40yd line.
• The return team is incentivized to catch the ball and return rather than let it roll into the end zone because there are no more fair catches, and if it lands in the return zone and they down it in the end zone it only comes out to the 20 yard line. I would think most NFL return players feel fairly confident in their ability to get past the 20 yard line consistently on returns.

I think it makes the kicker's job more interesting again, since recently it's become just "Send it into the end zone for a touchback", now they have a specific area they want to have it land in. We're back to the days of "Try to drop it between the 5 yard line and the endzone" .

I'm kinda meh on the onsides kick change, but they are so rare (surprise onside kicks even rarer) and they rarely work so I don't think it will make much of a difference.

 

[MNfootballfan]

I don't mind this rule. If it keeps the kickoff a play it is good enough for me.

If we are making wholesale changes to the kickoff, more severe penalty for a touchback, etc... Let the teams earn a bonus point (or points) if the kicker can kick it through the upright.