The NFL’s recent introduction of new kickoff rules has sparked mixed reactions across the league. While some express concern about the impact on tradition and player roles, others see the changes as a step towards increased excitement, improved safety, and new strategic possibilities. Among those embracing the shift is former Eagles center Jason Kelce.
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Making his “NFL Countdown” debut after returning from a trip to the Paris Olympics, Jason didn’t mince words about the new kickoff rules. He welcomed the changes with open arms and expressed his wholehearted support for the revamp.
Kelce pointed out that the kickoff return rate in the 2023 season was just 19 percent, compared to around 50 percent in earlier eras when there were fewer rules.
Thus, Kelce argued that fans crave the thrill of kickoff returns, highlighting return specialist Devin Hester’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction as a testament to the play’s significance and what special teams can contribute. He said:
“This play has been made obsolete in the past few years. It became a ceremony. ‘Oh! Here’s the opening kickoff ceremony, run down 60 yards for no reason.’ And now, all of a sudden, it’s going to mean something. The game is better when the special teams play a factor and it makes a difference.”
That said, as the NFL gears up to implement these new kickoff rules, fans and players alike are eager to see how they’ll reshape the game.
The “Dynamic Kickoff” rules explained
Back in March, NFL owners gave the green light to a dramatic shift in how teams line up for the kickoff. Now, defenders and tacklers will be positioned much closer to the action, unlike their previous spots near the kicker.
All players except the kicker will now line up at the opponent’s 40-yard line. That puts them just 5 to 10 yards away from the receiving team’s defenders, who’ll be waiting in the newly named “set-up zone” between the 30- and 35-yard lines.
Kickers, though, will still kick the ball from their 35-yard line. The receiving team gets to place two returners in what’s called the “landing zone,” (the area between the goal line and the 20-yard line). Notably, if the ball touches down in this zone before reaching the end zone, it’s game on and the returner has to run with it.
But here’s where it gets interesting. If the ball hits the landing zone and then bounces into the end zone, the receiving team can opt for a touchback, starting their drive at the 20-yard line. And if the kicks sail directly into the end zone, that would be a touchback starting at the 30-yard line. The same would go for kicks that fly out the back of the end zone.
Importantly, except for the returners, every player on both sides has to stay put until the ball either hits the ground or is touched by someone in the landing zone or end zone. However, the returners are free to move before and during the kick. It is indeed a game-changing shift.
