There are plenty of questions — but what would you think, if implemented, Bills Mafia?
News broke recently that the NFL is working on a special teams proposal involving kickoffs, which could significantly alter the current state of affairs following scoring plays. The new proposed rule, currently being worked on by NFL special teams coordinators, is certain to draw plenty of discussion by both the league and the NFL Competition Committee, the latter of which Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott is now aligned with.
In a tweet from Tom Pelissero, it was revealed that there would be several layers to the new rule, if adopted. Pelissero shared that the new rule “would allow teams to attempt an onside kick only when trailing in the fourth quarter — and require them to declare it in advance, per sources.”
No surprises: The new kickoff rule crafted by NFL special teams coordinators would allow teams to attempt an onside kick only when trailing in the fourth quarter — and require them to declare it in advance, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 3, 2024
Language still being finalized and owners must approve. pic.twitter.com/HYJKv3EZtP
But that’s not the only potential change being considered. Ari Meirov tweeted that this new rule proposal “would involve teams kicking off from the opponent’s 40-yard line, with the goal of increasing returns.” This appears to be separate and different from the fourth-quarter onside kick rule proposal shared by Pelissero.
The NFL is working on a kickoff proposal that would involve teams kicking off from the opponent's 40-yard line, with the goal of increasing returns.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 3, 2024
Here's some of what it involves, per @AlbertBreer:
- No players except the kicker and returner can move until the ball is… pic.twitter.com/ucbpS3WP5N
Meirov went on to share the following:
Here’s some of what it involves, per @AlbertBreer:
- No players except the kicker and returner can move until the ball is touched.
- If the ball doesn’t cross the 20-yard line in the air, it’s treated as out of bounds and the receiving team gets possession at their own 40-yard line.
- If the kicker kicks the ball into the end zone on the fly, a touchback results in the ball being placed at the 35-yard line, as opposed to the previous rule of the 25-yard line.
The essence of the idea is to increase returns while also reducing space and speed in the play, addressing a major issue that has led to more injuries.
On the surface, there’s a lot to digest, and it could prove complicated for every person involved in the return process, from officials to players, to coaches — and, of course, fans.
It would appear there’s further effort being made to reduce full-speed collisions during special teams play. How that would play out in real time is of course anyone’s guess — but it’s vastly different than how how returns have been designed to run at this point.
It remains to be seen how far, if at all, this rule proposal goes — and whether they might try to implement if for the preseason to beta test live results. The questions at this point are whether this is all too much to consider at once, and counterproductive to streamlining what is now often a heavily flagged portion of the game.
There aren’t many NFL plays that involve 22 players running the length of the field both ways in such a short amount of time. The potential for mass confusion could lead to further penalties, and worse — an increase of injuries to either side.
What do you think — should they leave well enough alone at this point?