What's everyone's take on the new kickoff rules?

[Lake Shore Drive]

Some big changes coming this season to kickoffs. The highlights are:

*Kicking team has to line up within one yard of the kickoff, eliminating the running start.
*No more wedge blocking of any sort.
*Any kickoff that reaches the end zone is automatically ruled a touchback.
*Blockers cannot advance beyond the 45 yard line to prevent their own version of getting a head start.

I think these changes will greatly reduce the overall number of returns. They're designed for player safety. Not sure if that will pan out to be accurate, but it does appear that it's going to reduce the importance of KO returns.

 

[richig07]

Yeah, kick-off returns are now a thing of the past. I'm not really a big fan of it.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Can the kicker get a running head start? Or does he have one step to kick it off too?

 

[richig07]

Can the kicker get a running head start? Or does he have one step to kick it off too?

Lol

Kickers not being able to get a run into their kick would certainly make things interesting.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Lol

Kickers not being able to get a run into their kick would certainly make things interesting.

It might help with returns AND concussions if you think about it.

 

[richig07]

It might help with returns AND concussions if you think about it.

I don't think so, pertaining to concussions. It'd create short kicks and the ball being in-play nearly always on kick-offs. That's what they're trying to limit.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Kind of wondering how onside kicks even work now?

 

[richig07]

Kind of wondering how onside kicks even work now?

They don't get recovered... ever by the kicking team. I would imagine.

 

[Payton]

Thoughts?

STOP!!!! F**KING!!!!! WITH!!!!!! THE!!!!!! GAME!!!!!!

These folks get paid millions and they are WELL aware of the risks they take playing it. The NFL needs to provide permanent health care coverage to their players, not cover their asses with stupid rules that make the game more and more unwatchable with every change.

 

[richig07]

Thoughts?

STOP!!!! F**KING!!!!! WITH!!!!!! THE!!!!!! GAME!!!!!!

These folks get paid millions and they are WELL aware of the risks they take playing it. The NFL needs to provide permanent health care coverage to their players, not cover their asses with stupid rules that make the game more and more unwatchable with every change.

Yeah, I agree.

At this rate, we won't even recognize the sport by 2030.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

To me, the real killer with these rule changes is the auto-touchback once the ball hits the end zone. Pretty much every kicker these days can hit that at will, so if a team has any real threat to run one back, you can figure on a game full of touchbacks.