NFL Rules Committee Will Propose Major Change to Rule Introduced in 2024
March 25, 2025
3,470
The NFL kickoff rules were drastically changed to try and increase the amount of returns last season, as the dynamic kickoff format was introduced to the league. Though the kickoff resulted in far less injuries, the amount of kickoff returns may not have been as successful.
The NFL is trying to find the right balance, and the dynamic kickoff will be headed for an adjustment.
More news: NFL Mock Draft 2025: Predicting the Entire First Round
The NFL Rules Committee is reportedly proposing another change to the kickoff rules after just one season, moving touchbacks from the 30 to the 35-yard line.
The NFL’s competition committee is expected to propose a kickoff adjustment for 2025, moving touchbacks from the 30-yard line to the 35 in an effort to increase return rates, per @MarkMaske. pic.twitter.com/KJJPh5uae1
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 25, 2025
This potential proposal’s intended effect would be to try and dissuade teams from kicking the ball into the end zone and force their opponents to return the ball.
What is most interesting about this proposal, along with it being so soon, is that it should once again have drastic effects on yardage. One interesting side effect of the ball starting further up the field on touchbacks has been on stats.
Points aren’t necessarily going to be down, but since the ball more consistently starts closer to the opposing end zone with the current rules, overall yardage is down.
KaVontae Turpin #2 of the Dallas Cowboys returns a kick off for a 100 yard touchdown against Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium on August 20, 2022. KaVontae Turpin #2 of the Dallas Cowboys returns a kick off for a 100 yard touchdown against Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium on August 20, 2022. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
If this proposal were put in place, it may once again increase the kickoff rates, but still not to the level the NFL is hoping for, and further reduce stats.
With the amount of returns there have been over the past few seasons, it seems like a good idea on the surface to try and find ways to increase them. However, they aren’t so important that they should have impactful side effects on other aspects of the game.
It is unclear or not if this proposal will go through or not, but this does indicate more changes to the kickoff rules seem to be in order after last season’s experiment.
It definitely wasn’t perfect by any means, but not giving the change more than one season before proposing an adjustment is telling.
As of now, it seems the rules committee seems intent on just moving where offense starts after kickoffs, but it is interesting that there aren’t other potential ideas they have for adjusting the kickoffs that don’t affect offensive yardage.
On the bright side, the updates to kickoff rules over the years have improved player health, but the NFL is still struggling to find a balance between keeping players safe and producing an exciting product for fans.
It is very rare to see an electric kickoff return nowadays, but when it does happen, fans are reminded of the good old days. Until the right balance is found, player safety will remain more of a priority.
More NFL news:
NFL Mock Draft 2025 2.0: Cowboys, Rams Take Backup Plans for Star Players
Browns Could Trade for Young Quarterback Instead of Taking One in NFL Draft
Top Trade Destinations for Patriots Quarterback Joe Milton
A legjobb élmény biztosítása érdekében olyan technológiákat használunk, mint a cookie-k az eszközadatok tárolására és/vagy eléréséhez. Ha beleegyezik ezekbe a technológiákba, akkor olyan adatokat dolgozhatunk fel ezen az oldalon, mint a böngészési viselkedés vagy az egyedi azonosítók. A hozzájárulás elmulasztása vagy visszavonása bizonyos funkciókat és funkciókat hátrányosan érinthet.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
