With the 2024 NFL (pre)season under way, the league — and its fans — are getting the first taste of the new kickoff rules in action. However, coaches like Kyle Shanahan have already figured out how to ruin them.
It could be more of the same if the league owners don’t get it figured out in the next few weeks!
The goal of the new “dynamic kickoff” is to prevent dead plays. Something like 75% of kickoffs went for touchbacks last season, which essentially rendered the play useless.
To try and fix that issue, the NFL adopted the XFL’s kickoff format. Players are required to lineup between the 30-yard-line and 45-yard-line, and they cannot move until the returner catches the ball.
The @NFL's new Dynamic Kickoff rules ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/To1IraS4Hr
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 9, 2024
The goal of the new kickoff is to try and force a return. It looks weird at first and will take some time to get used to, but there is a lot of potential for shenanigans— like this reverse:
The first ever XFL kickoff return for a TD.
— United Football League (@TheUFL) February 23, 2020
B E A U T I F U L pic.twitter.com/zqdHTlxMaL
There is only one problem. And it could be a pretty major one.
Coaches might not want to kick the ball short of the end zone after all. They might try to make it a dead play, again.
The NFL’s new kickoff is already in jeopardy.
As of right now, a kickoff out of the end zone — a touchback — places the ball at the 30-yard-line for the offense. Kick returns with the new format are averaging about 29 yards. Some of them break for big gains.
Why would a coach risk a return of more than 30 yards when it could, in theory, give up just one additional yard by booting it out of the back of the end zone?
Shanahan was asked that question. His response could start a trend.
It’s a hell of an idea. I haven’t thought of that. Yeah, we’re all talking about that and it looks like it’ll make a lot of sense once the season starts. But, this was our first week with us doing it. It was our first week really getting more teams, besides the Hall of Fame game and stuff, to evaluate it.
When you can start there at the 30 and the average starting line’s the 29, it doesn’t seem like there’s that much of a difference to really go with the risk of it. It also can be an advantage too.
We’ll see how good our 11 are that we put out there, how our returners are and stuff, whether people give you the opportunity for it. But it’s kind of a wait-and-see approach.
— Kyle Shanahan
If other coaches catch on to the statistical reality of the touchback versus the average return, the kickoff could be a dead play. That would defeat the entire purpose of the rule change.
To lose a game, especially a crucial one, on a huge kick return would be devastating when the alternative would be to boot it out of the end zone and put the ball at the 30. The latter is looking more and more like the smart play.
Owners can fix the problem before it becomes one.
They are planning to meet on August 27 to discuss private equity rules. It seems like it is also in their best interest to change the kickoff rules to put a touchback at the 35-yard-line instead of the 30 to generate a more likely return. Otherwise, what’s the point?